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Zakat

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ

Zakat (Arabic: زكاة; [zaˈkaːt], “that which purifies”, also Zakat al-mal [zaˈkaːt alˈmaːl] زكاة المال, “zakat on wealth”, or Zakah) It came from Arabic root ز ك و, meaning to purify. Zakat is considered a way to purify one’s income and wealth from sometimes worldly, impure ways of acquisition. According to Sachiko Murata and William Chittick, “Just as ablutions purify the body and salat purifies the soul (in Islam), so zakat purifies possessions and makes them pleasing to GOD. it is a form of almsgiving, often collected by the Muslim Ummah. It is considered in Islam as a religious obligation
zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth to help the needy. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, often considered to be a tax. The payment and disputes on zakat have played a major role in the history of Islam, notably during the Ridda wars.

Zakat on wealth is based on the value of all of one’s possessions. It is customarily 2.5% (or 1⁄40) of a Muslim’s total savings and wealth above a minimum amount known as nisab each lunar year, but Islamic scholars differ on how much niqab is and other aspects of zakat.[16] According to Islamic doctrine, the collected amount should be paid to the poor and the needy, Zakat collectors, orphans, widows, those to be freed from slavery, the aged who can’t work to feed themselves, those in debt, in the cause of Allah and to benefit the stranded traveler.

IN QURAN

The Quran discusses charity in many verses, some of which relate to zakat. The word zakat, with the meaning used in Islam now, is found, for example, in suras: 7:156, 9:60, 19:31, 19:55, 21:73, 23:4, 27:3, 30:39, 31:4, and 41:7. Zakat is found in the early Medinan suras and described as obligatory for Muslims. It is given for the sake of salvation. Muslims believe those who give zakat can expect a reward from God in the afterlife while neglecting to give zakat can result in damnation. Zakat is considered part of the covenant between God and a Muslim.

Verse 2.177 sums up the Quranic view of charity and almsgiving (Another name for Zakat is the “Poor Due”)

“Believers, retribution is prescribed for you in cases of murder: the free man for the free man, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. If the offender is granted some remission by the heir of the slain person, the agreed penalty should be equitably exacted and should be discharged handsomely. This is an alleviation from your Lord and an act of grace. He who transgresses after this shall have a painful punishment.(2:177)

According to Yusuf al-Qaradawi, verse 9.5 of the Quran makes zakat one of three prerequisites for pagans to become Muslims:

“But if they repent, establish prayers, and practice zakat they are your brethren in faith

IN HADITH

Each of the most trusted hadith collections in Islam has a book dedicated to zakat. Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslims, and Sunan Abu-Dawud discuss various aspects of zakat, including who must pay, how much, when, and what. The 2.5% rate is also mentioned in the hadiths.
The hadiths admonish those who do not give the zakat. According to the hadith, refusal to pay or mockery of those who pay zakat is a sign of hypocrisy, and God will not accept the prayers of such people. The sunna also describes God’s punishment for those who refuse or fail to pay zakat. On the day of Judgment, those who did not give the zakat will be held accountable and punished.

The hadith contain advice on the state-authorized collection of the zakat. The collectors are required not to take more than what is due, and those who are paying the zakat are asked not to evade payment. The hadith also warn of punishment for those who take zakat when they are not eligible to receive it (see Distribution below.)

Amount Of Zakat

The amount of zakat to be paid by an individual depends on the amount of money and the type of assets the individual possesses. The Quran does not provide specific guidelines on which types of wealth are taxable under the zakat, nor does it specify percentages to be given. However, it indicates donating the “surplus” of one’s income. But the customary practice in the Islamic world has been that the amount of zakat paid on capital assets (e.g. money) is 2.5% (1⁄40). Zakat is additionally payable on agricultural goods, precious metals, minerals, and livestock at a rate varying between 2.5% and 20% (1/5), depending on the type of goods.

Zakat is usually payable on assets continuously owned over one lunar year that are over the niqab, a minimum monetary value. However, Islamic scholars have disagreed on this issue. For example, Abu Hanifa did not regard the nisab limit to be a pre-requisite for zakat, in the case of land crops, fruits, and minerals. Other differences between Islamic scholars on zakat and niqab are acknowledged as follows by Yusuf al-Qaradawi,

DISTRIBUTION

According to the Quran’s Surah Al-Tawba, there are eight categories of people (asnaf) who qualify to benefit from zakat funds.

“Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.”

— Qur’an, Sura 9 (Al-Tawba), ayat 60

Islamic scholars have traditionally interpreted this verse as identifying the following eight categories of Muslim causes to be the proper recipients of zakat:

  1. Those living without means of livelihood (Al-Fuqarā’), the poor.
  2. Those who cannot meet their basic needs (Al-Masākīn), the needy.
  3. To zakat collectors (Al-Āmilīyn ‘Alihā).
  4. To persuade those sympathetic to or expected to convert to Islam (Al-Mu’allafatu Qulūbuhum), recent converts to Islam, and potential allies in the cause of Islam.
  5. To free from slavery or servitude (Fir-Riqāb), slaves of Muslims who have or intend to be free from their master[clarification needed] using a ketubah contract.
  6. Those who have incurred overwhelming debts while attempting to satisfy their basic needs (Al-Ghārimīn), debtors who in pursuit of a worthy goal incurred a debt.
  7. Those fighting for a religious cause or a cause of God (Fī Sabīlillāh), or for Jihad in the way of Allah using pen, word, or sword, or for Islamic warriors who fight against the unbelievers but are not salaried soldiers.
  8. Wayfarers, stranded travelers (Ibnu Al-Sabīl), travelers who are traveling with a worthy goal but cannot reach their destination without financial assistance.

Zakat should not be given to one’s parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, spouses, or the descendants of Muhammad

ROLE IN SOCIETY

The zakat is considered by Muslims to be an act of piety through which one expresses concern for the well-being of fellow Muslims, as well as preserving social harmony between the wealthy and the poor. Zakat promotes a more equitable redistribution of wealth and fosters a sense of solidarity amongst members of the Ummah

ZAKAT AL FITR

Zakat al-Fitr or Sadaqat al-Fitr is another, smaller charitable obligation, mandatory for all Muslims—male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do so—that is traditionally paid at the end of the fasting in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The collected amount is used to pay the zakat collectors and the poor Muslims so that they may be provided with a means to celebrate ‘Eid al-Fitr (the festival of breaking the fast) following Ramadan, along with the rest of the Muslims.

Zakat al-Fitr is a fixed amount assessed per person, while Zakat al-mal is based on personal income and property. According to one source, the Hidaya Foundation, the suggested Zakat al Fitr donation is based on the price of 1 Saa (approx. 3 kg) of rice or wheat at local costs,