Zakat

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. It factually means profusion, development, sanitation and being pure. Zakat is fard for a Muslim who is free, complete mind, pubescent and who has enough wealth to give Zakat.

It is a yearly monetary ibadah that an eligible Muslim gifts to one of the eight groups chosen by Allah, Zakat is two point five percent of their wealth given in order to abide with Allah’s command.

وَاَق۪يمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَۜ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِاَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِۜ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَص۪يرٌ 

Inaugurate prayer, give zakah and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will discover it with Allah.  Undeniably, Allah is all Knowing and all Seeing. (al-Baraqah 110)

Zakah can be given to the following people, as stated in the 60^th verse of Surah At-Tawbah:

• To the poor
• To those in need
• To the zakah collectors
• To increase brotherhood
• To free slaves
• To those in debt
• For the cause of Allah
• To the traveller

It is not acceptable to give Zakat to an individual who owns the quantity of Nisab. Nisab amount corresponds to 80.18 grams in gold. Each and every Mu’min who has the required amount of gold, cash or wealth (apart from his basic needs and debts) should perform Zakat annually. Nisab can be available at the start or end of the year. It is key to make the intention for Zakat both by tongue and heart.

Zakat can be given to Islamic scholars and students who are studying the Quran and the Sunnah. Furthermore, Our Prophet (pbuh); “It is permissible to give Zakat to someone even if they have 40 years’ of subsistence through learning knowledge.”