zakat

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Zakāh (Arabic: زكاة‎ IPA: [zækæːh], sometimes "Zakāt/Zekat"^[1]) or "alms giving", one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the giving of a small percentage of one's possessions (surplus wealth) to charity generally to poor and needy Muslim individuals. It is often compared to the system of tithing and alms, but it serves principally as the welfare contribution to poor and deprived Muslims, although others may have a rightful share. It is the duty of an Islamic community not just to collect zakat but to distribute it fairly as well.

Zakat is sometimes refered to as sadaqah and its plural, sadaqat. Generally the sharing of wealth is called zakat, whereas the sadqat could mean the sharing of wealth as well sharing of happiness among God's creation, such as saying kind words, smiling at someone, taking care of animals or environments, etc.

Zakat or sadqah is worship as means of spiritual purification. It is not a tax burden but rather serves as socio-financial system of Islam by re-distributing the wealth among poor and needy. See also: nisab.

There is no disagreement among Muslims about the obligatory nature of zakat throughout the Islamic history, denying Zakat equals denying the Islamic faith. The Muslim jurists differ on many details of zakat, each has his own opinion and arguments. These difference of opinion may include rate, the exemptions, the kinds of wealth that are zakatable. Zakatable is type of excess wealth, or assets that are the subject of zakat according to Islamic examples and directives, For example, some scholars consider the wealth of children and insane individals zakatable, others don't. Some scholars consider all agricultural products zakatable, others restrict zakat to specific kinds only. Some consider debts zakatable others don't. Similar differences exist for business assets and women's jewelry. Some require certain minimum nisab for zakatability, some don't. etc. The same kind of differences also exist about the disbursement of zakat.^[2]

There is an agreement among Muslim jurists that zakat is obligatory on the Muslim who has reached puberty, who is sane, who is free, and who owns the minimum assigned, nisab. Disagree on whether it is compulsory on the funds (liquid possessions) of the child and the insane individual. Muslims jurists have agreed that zakat, as an obligation of Islam, is not required from non-Muslims.

The Qur'an does not provide the definition of zakatable wealth nor does it provide the required percentages in zakat. It is left to Sunnah to give, by example or by directives. It must be realized, however, that the Qur'an mentions a few kinds of zakatable possessions (assets), such as gold and silver, crops and fruits, earnings of trade and other business enterprises and what is drawn from beneath the earth (natural resources).

Muslims fulfill this religious obligation by giving a fixed percentage of their surplus wealth. Zakat has been paired with such a high sense of righteousness that it is often placed on the same level of importance as offering Salat.^[3] Muslims see this process also as a way of purifying themselves from their greed and selfishness and also safeguarding future business.^[4] In addition, Zakat purifies the person who receives it because it saves him from the humiliation of begging and prevents him from envying the rich.^[5] Because it holds such a high level of importance the "punishment" for not paying when able is very severe. In the 2nd edition of the Encyclopaedia of Islam it states, "...the prayers of those who do not pay zakat will not be accepted".^[6]

Part of a series on the Islamic creed: Aqidah

Five Pillars (Sunni)

Shahādah - Profession of faith Ṣalāt - Prayers Zakāh - Paying of alms (giving to the poor) Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

Six articles of belief (Sunni)

Tawhīd - Oneness Prophets and Messengers in Islam Islamic holy books Angels The Last Judgment Predestination

Principles of the Religion (Twelver)

Tawhīd - Oneness ‘Adalah - Justice Nubuwwah - Prophethood Imāmah - Leadership Qiyamah - Day of Judgement

Practices of the Religion (Twelver)

Ṣalāt - Prayers Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Zakāh - Tithes Khums - One-fifth tax Jihad - Struggle Commanding what is just Forbidding what is evil Tawallā' - Loving the Ahl al-Bayt Tabarrá - Disassociating Ahl al-Bayt's enemies

Seven Pillars (Ismaili)

Walāyah - Guardianship Ṭawhid - Oneness of God Ṣalāt - Prayers Zakāh - Purifying religious dues Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca Jihad - Struggle

Others

Kharijite Sixth Pillar of Islam. This box: view • talk • edit

There are two categories of charities in Islam - obligatory and voluntary

Obligatory

• Zakat on gold, silver currency and jewelry
• Zakat on cash or its equivalent such as bonds, shares of joint companies etc.
• Zakat on rented buildings, plants (factory), and fixed capital
• Zakat on commercial assets such as inventories, work in process etc.
• Zakat on livestock
• Zakat on agriculture 'Ushr
• Zakat on honey and animal products
• Zakat on mining and fishing
• Almsgiving on self Sadaqatul fitr (fast-breaking zakah)

Voluntary

• Donation to build Mosques and Schools
• Helping Non-Muslim

Minimums and amounts

It is not written anywhere in the Qur'an of a specific amount, in fact it goes so far to specifically say that there is no specific amount or rate however most Muslims pay 2.5% of their income as is specified in the Books of Bukhari and Muslim. It is an obligation on Muslims to pay ¹/₄₀ (2.5%) of the wealth which they have had for a full lunar year, ¹/₄₀ (2.5%) of goods used for trade, and 5% or 10% of certain type of harvests depending on irrigation. Exempt from Zakat are a person's house and personal transportation.

Zakat is not mandatory on harvest if the total did not reach the minimum limit (nisāb) of about 653 kilograms of crops^[7], nor on gold amounts if the owner has less than 85 grams of gold or less than 595 grams of silver.^[8]

The Qur'an specifies that Zakat should be paid upon receipt of income in the passage 6:141 "Eat from their fruits, and give the due alms on the day of harvest". However most Muslims calculate and pay their Zakat at the end of the Lunar year as said above. In some communities this is frowned upon.

Who is entitled to receive Zakat

Eight catergory of individual may received the zakat, Noble Quran (9:60)

• 1. The needy (Muslims or Non Muslim)- Fuqara'
• 2. Extremely poor (Muslims or Non Muslims) - Al-Masakin
• 3. Those employed to collect - Aamileen
• 4. Those whose hearts are to be won - Muallafatul Quloob
• 5. To free the captives - Ar-Riqaab
• 6. Those in debt (Muslims or Non Muslims) - Al Ghaarimeen
• 7. In the way of Allah - Fi Sabeelillah
• 8. Wayfarer (Muslims or Non Muslims)- Ibnus-Sabeel

As a general rule, the receipinet must be a Muslim living individual who does not possess wealth equal or an excess of a prescribed threshold amount Nisaab

Ineligible Recepient

The following recipients are not eligible to receive the obligatory due (Zakat)

• Descendants of the family of Prophet
• On behalf of a deceased person for shrouding, burial or payment of debts
• In places where Muslims are financially capable of entertaining such projects as construction or maintainance of Mosque, School and similar projects (usually developed countries)
• In places where Muslims are financially weak (3rd world), Zakah can be used for construction or maintainance of Mosque and School

Zakat in Sufism

While Zakat plays a large role in the Muslim religion, "classic Sufi sources portray the Sufi as standing outside the system of Zakat". This is because a traditional Sufi will own no property and therefore they will pay no Zakat. Now this places them in a class with the poor who are allowed to receive the benefits of Zakat, but they are not allowed to receive what others are able to give due to their "greater spiritual wealth".^[9] It must be noted that the Prophet of Islam lived his life at this level, so simple were his needs and possessions that he never qualified for the nisab due to him donating most of his earnings on a daily basis.

See also

• Alms
• Sadaqah
• Khums
• Nisab

References

External links

• Full online Zakaat Guide including Importance, Virtues, Punishment, Rules of Nisab, Eligibility, Distribution, Calculation etc.