ZAKAH
IN ISLAM
All
praise is due to Allah Alone and may Allah exalt the mention of His
chosen Prophet and bless him, his household, and his Companions. Zakah
is one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakah is mentioned together with Salah in eighty two (82)
verses of the Qur’an. Allah
says: “And perform the Salah and give the Zakah.” The
Prophet Muhammad
, said: “Islam is based
on five: The testimony of
Faith, the performance of Salah, the payment of Zakah, the performance
of Hajj, and the fasting of Ramadhan.”
- Buhkari & Muslim Whoever
denies that Zakah is a pillar of Islam has left Islam and has become an
apostate. The importance of
Zakah in Islam is undeniable and should not be underestimated The linguistic meaning of the word “Zakah” in the Arabic language is “Purity” and it is known that taking Zakah purifies excess wealth. However, it also means “Increase, thrive or grow” as a result of the blessings of Allah. The Islamic meaning of Zakah is a certain percentage of excess wealth to be taken from the rich Muslims and given to the poor Muslims. It bridges the gap between rich and poor Muslims, and fosters brotherly love among them. Zakah is obligatory
It
is incumbent upon every Muslim who owns the nisab (minimum amount) of
any property or wealth to pay it’s Zakah.
The nisab and the percentage of Zakah to be taken from different
types of excess wealth is clearly defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
For example, when a quantity of 85 grams or more of gold is held
in possession for one year, a Zakah of 2½ percent becomes due upon it.
The percentage of Zakah for cash and silver is also 2½ percent,
once the nisab has been reached. It
is not the purpose of this pamphlet to explain all of the different
amounts of nisab and rates of Zakah to be taken from cash, produce,
livestock, commercial goods kept for sale, commercial real-estate, etc.
It should be kept in mind that Zakah is usually not paid on
things that we normally use in our lives, like the car we drive each
day, the home we live in, the tools we use to do our job, etc.
If you are in doubt, do as Allah ta’ala ordered us in the
Qur’an: “ask those who
know” (ask a reputable scholar). Zakah is not income
tax
Do
not confuse Zakah with annual income tax.
Zakah is only due on excess wealth that has been in your
possession for twelve (12) lunar months.
For example: You had $1,000 savings at the beginning of the year.
During the year you earned $100,000.
But you spent all the money on taking care of your family and
such. At the end of one
year you still had only $1,000 savings.
The Zakah is due only on the $1,000 which you possessed for one
full year, not on the amount you earned during the year.
Allah has not made it forbidden to be wealthy and save excess
money. However, if we save
excess wealth, we must purify it annually by paying the Zakah which is
due on it. It should be
noted that your Zakah can be paid at any time of year, as long as it is
done annually. Who receives the
Zakah
The
eligible recipients of Zakah are clearly defined in the Qur’an:
“The Zakah is only for the poor, and the needy, and for those
employed for collecting it , and those whose hearts are made to incline
towards Islam, and for freeing slaves, and for those in debt, and in the
cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer as a duty imposed by Allah, and
Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” - 9:60 The
Zakah differs from charity in several ways:
The Zakah is obligatory, charity is voluntary.
The Zakah must be at least a certain percentage of certain types
of wealth, charity is open to give as you like.
The Zakah can only be given to certain recipients, and it should
be noted that these recipients should not be under your care, like your
wife, children, etc. Charity
can be given to anyone in need, including close family members.
Zakah must be given once each year, preferably at the same time
each year. Charity can be
given any time of the year, as you like. Why pay Zakah?
A
man said to the Prophet Muhammad
, “Tell me about a deed
which admits me to Jannah (Heaven).”
He said: “Worship
Allah ascribing no partner to Him, perform the Salah, pay the Zakah and
maintain good relation with your kinfolk.”
- At Tabarani Warning against
withholding Zakah
Allah
says: “And let not those,
who withhold out of niggardliness what Allah has given them from His
bounty, think that it is good for them; nay, it is evil for them.
They shall have what they withhold out of niggardliness made to
cleave to their necks on the Day of Resurrection.”
Qur’an 3:180 The
Prophet Muhammad
, said: “Anyone who
hoards wealth and does not pay it’s Zakah, his wealth will turn into
sheets heated in Hell-fire with which his sides and forehead will be
continuously branded until Allah judges between His slaves in a Day
which is 50,000 years long. After
that he will either end up in Jannah (Heaven) or Jahannam (Hell).”
- both Bukhari and Muslim Zakat ul-Fitr
This
is a special kind of Zakah that is due at the end of the month of
Ramadhan. Allah the Exalted
has instituted Zakatul-Fitr as a means of purification from nonsensical
talk that one may have uttered during this month, as well as a food gift
to the needy to save them the embarrassment of asking for it on the Day
of Eid, thus the poor may celebrate the joy of Eid along with the rich.
It is incumbent on every Muslim who owns an excess of food over
his family’s needs. It
must be given by the sunset of the last day of Ramadhan, or better yet,
just before the Eid prayer. The
recipients of Zakatul-Fitr are the same as the recipients of the
obligatory Zakah. It is permissible, however, to give it out a day or two
before the Eid day. The
quantity of Zakatul-Fitr must be given out in foodstuff (NOT IN CASH),
i.e., wheat, barley, dates, raisins, rice, maize, dried curd and the
like. The best of which is
what benefits the poor most. It’s
quantity is approx. 2.4 kilograms per family member.
For example, a Muslim man with one wife and three children would
give at least 12 kilograms of Zakatul-Fitr. May
Allah the Most High make us of those who fulfill our obligations to Him
and guide us to what pleases Him always, amin.
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