Overview of Zakat

Zakat is a monetary worship that is incumbent on those possessing a certain amount of wealth. Giving Zakat is considered as a great act of worship in Islam. The meaning of zakat is “to cleanse” or “purify”. When a Muslim gives Zakat to the poor he is essentially purifying his wealth and his soul. Zakat is an act that is loved by Allah as through the payment of zakat, the rich share their wealth with those who are less fortunate. Islam is a complete code of life which includes amongst other things, the economic aspect of life. Islam has its own economic principles. Zakat is one of the basic principles of the Islamic economy, based on social welfare and fair distribution of wealth. Allah says in the Quran: وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَارْكَعُوا مَعَ الرَّاكِعِينَ And establish prayer and give zakat (Surah Baqarah: 43) Paying Zakat gives the individual the opportunity of sharing his wealth with those that are less fortunate. Wealth belongs to Allah, He is the real owner and we are merely the trustees of His wealth. We do our duty as trustees if we pay Zakat as an obligatory part of worship. Zakat is Farz (compulsory) in Islam, anyone that denies it being a Farz will come out of the fold of Islam. There are two major benefits of paying Zakat: 1. It keeps one away from sin and saves the giver from moral ill arising from the love and greed for wealth; 2. Through Zakat the poorer class, (those themselves) are being cared for, such as widows, orphans, the disabled, the poor and the destitute. Who needs to pay Zakat? Zakat is Farz upon a person if: 1.He is a Muslim 2. He is an adult 3. He is a sane person 4. He is a free person – not a slave 5. He owns wealth to the value of Nisaab (the minimum amount of wealth that one must have before zakat is payable). Unfortunately many people do not consider Zakat as an important act of worship, and neglect it due to greed and worldly love. Allah says in Surah Taubah: “And there are those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, announce to them a most grievous penalty (when) on the Day of Qiyaamah heat will be produced out of that wealth in the fire of Jahannam, then with it they will be branded on their foreheads and their flanks and backs. (It will be said to them) This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves, taste then the treasure that you had been hoarding.”