zakah/charity (practices)

• zakah: purification of wealth by giving 2.5% of savings each year to the poor

  sadaqah: good actions or voluntary payments that are undertaken for charitable reasons

  khums: a 20% tax paid by Shi'a muslims on their excess income
• be generous and kind

  • Qu'ran makes clear command: to give to those in need, to widows, orphans and travellers
  • it is an obligation and a form of worship, to be generous and kind for the benefit of humanity
• purity

  • giving is a sign of cleansing and purity
  • Qu'ran teaches that money may have a corrupting influence; wealth can be an evil thing
• wealth

  • wealth and property are not ours
  • given to us by Allah, for the benefit of all humans
  • duty to share good fortune
  • disapproves of gambling- should be shared, not for personal satisfaction
• khalifahs

  • Qu'ran teaches that humans are khalifahs
  • should not view possessions as our own
  • on loan to us from god so we do not have the absolute right to spend our money as we choose
• prophet muhammad

  • practised Zakah after first battles
  • instructed people to care for all those in need
• spending Zakah

  • multiple charities organised to distribute zakah to the poor, needy and travellers
• sadaqah

  • giving from the heart
  • duty for all muslims to pay zakah once a year, but Islam also teaches that voluntary giving is important too
  • any good deed done out of compassion or generosity; could be a gift of time, helping others or a donation to charity