Zakah

• Zakat is the compulsory giving of a set portion of one’s wealth to charity.  It is an act of worship (ibadah) that benefits the poor, but also benefits the giver as the rest of their wealth becomes purified through this act of devotion.  Zakat literally means ‘to cleanse’ as the person who has given up part of their wealth have displayed self-discipline, a lack of greed and an unwavering commitment to the command to redistribute the wealth that Allah has entrusted to them.
• “Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over, to free slaves and to help those in debt, for God’s cause and for travellers in need’.”
• Additional acts of charity are known as sadaqah and these are separate to Zakat.  A Muslim is encouraged to be charitable throughout their life and charitable acts don’t always involve money.  In a Hadith Muhammed* is said to have claimed that every good deed is an act of charity including a smile.
• “Those who do not give Zakah, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers.”
• Zakat on money, gold and silver is paid at a rate of 2.5%.  Not all Muslims are expected 2.5% on their wealth, for example, the poorest Muslims with no wealth can’t practically pay 2.5% of nothing.  Also, a threshold has been set, with only Muslims with a wealth above this limit having to make Zakat payments.  This threshold is known as the Nisab.  Therefore, if a person has a wealth that comes above the Nisab they are obligated to pay Zakat, however, if their wealth falls below the Nisab, they aren’t expected to pay anything.  
• The Nisab is worked out to be the market value of 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver
• The aims of giving Zakat include:

  • Showing obedience to Allah by completing a pillar.

  • Purifying the rest of a person’s wealth.

  • Redistributing wealth that belongs to Allah to ensure that everyone in society is provided for- it is therefore seen as an act of social justice.

  • Freeing a person from greed and the love of money.

  • Learning the quality of self-discipline.

  • Ensures the needy aren’t forgotten as it is a yearly expectation.

  • As an act of worship it will bring the worshipper rewards from Allah.
• “God is well aware of whatever good you do.”