Importance of Zak\u00e2t:<\/strong> \u201cZak\u00e2t\u201d literally means \u201cpurity; justness; integrity and honesty\u201d. In Islamic legal terminology, the word \u201czak\u00e2t\u201d is used for one of the main obligatory taxes imposed upon the wealth of the Muslims derived from the natural resources given to them by Allah. Its literal meaning implies that by paying zak\u00e2t, one is purifying his wealth by sharing God\\’s blessing with the less fortunate members of the ummah. The wealth of the person who does not pay zak\u00e2t is impure and tainted with the share of the poor and the needy.<\/p>\n One of the ways by which we describe the value of a seemingly simple thing is by comparing it to an item well known for its value. In the Qur\\’\u00e2n, Allah, subhanahu wa ta`ala, also uses this method of emphasizing certain Islamic values: whenever He wants to show the importance of an issue, He combines it with something whose importance is well known to the Muslims. Sal\u00e2t, the symbol of Allah\\’s right upon human beings, is a well known virtue in Islam; it is known as \u201cthe pillar of the religion\u201d. Similarly, Allah has used zak\u00e2t as the symbol of the rights of human beings upon each other. In order to show the importance of fulfilling the rights of fellow human beings, in many verses, Allah has combined the order of sal\u00e2t with the order of paying zak\u00e2t. 2. Obligatory Zak\u00e2t<\/strong><\/p>\n (A) Sharing The Natural Resources<\/strong> (B) Zak\u00e2tu \u2019L-Fitra: Sharing On The Day Of \u2018Iddu \u2019L-Fitr:<\/strong> 3. Recommended Zak\u00e2t<\/strong> 4. The Usage of Zak\u00e2t Fund<\/strong> “Zakât” literally means “purity; justness; integrity and honesty”. In Islamic legal terminology, the word “zakât” is used for one of the main obligatory taxes imposed upon the wealth of the Muslims derived from the natural resources given to them by Allah. Its literal meaning implies that by paying zakât, one is purifying his wealth by sharing God\\’s blessing with the less fortunate members of the ummah. The wealth of the person who does not pay zakât is impure and tainted with the share of the poor and the needy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7376],"tags":[20352,7943,20353,20244,13036],"class_list":["post-4719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jurisprudence","tag-importance-of-zakat","tag-jurisprudence","tag-natural-resources","tag-obligatory-zakat","tag-zakat"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4719"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4719\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shiastudies.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAll items of zak\u00e2t are related to the natural resources of the earth. They are not the creation of man but blessings of Allah. So by paying zak\u00e2t, we thank Allah by sharing His blessings with other human beings; and we also show our concern for the poor and the needy. Imam \u2018Ali bin Abi T\u00e2lib (a.s.) said, \u201cAlmighty All\u00e2h has made the zak\u00e2t obligatory so that He may test the rich people and provide for the poor. If the people pay zak\u00e2t from their wealth, no one would be poor any longer…\u201d<\/p>\n
\nZak\u00e2t, according to the Shi\u2018a school of thought, is limited to the following nine items:
\nI. Coins: 1. Gold Coins. 2. Silver Coins.
\nII. Cattle: 3. Goats and sheep. 4. Cows. 5. Camels.
\nIII. Crops: 6. Wheat. 7. Dates. 8. Barley. 9. Raisins.
\nThese are the nine items on which zak\u00e2t is w\u00e2jib. At this stage of our discussion, we will not go into details of the rules to explain how much becomes w\u00e2jib on which item at what time. We shall only mention some details about zak\u00e2t on crops.
\nZak\u00e2t on crops becomes wajib only when the production reaches the minimum nis\u00e2b (the specific amount or quantity on which zak\u00e2t becomes w\u00e2jib). The nis\u00e2b for each of the four crops mentioned above is 846 k.g. So if you produce less than 846 k.g. of wheat, then there is no zak\u00e2t on you.
\nThe amount you have to pay as zak\u00e2t tax depends on the methods used for watering the crops:
\n\u00b7 if the farm was watered by a river or by rain, then you have to pay 10% of the total crop.
\n\u00b7 if the farm was watered by drawing water from a well or by using modern machines, then you have to pay 5% of the total crop.
\nSo if you produced 100,000 k.g. of wheat and you had watered your farm through a near-by river, then you have to pay 10,000 k.g. wheat as zak\u00e2t. But if you used modern technology to water your farm, then you have to pay 5,000 k.g. wheat as zak\u00e2t.<\/p>\n
\nBesides the zak\u00e2t mentioned above on the natural resources, Islam has introduced a zak\u00e2t common to all affluent people on the occasion of `iddu \\’l-fitr, the celebration which occurs after the end of Ramadh\u00e2n. This zak\u00e2t is known as zak\u00e2tu \\’l-fitra.
\nBy \u201caffluent\u201d we mean anyone who can provide the necessary expenses of his self and his dependents for a year.
\nThe amount to be paid depends the one\\’s eating habits and the number of his dependents. One has to pay three kilos of wheat or rice (or its market value) on behalf of himself and each of his dependents. So if a person has a wife and three children, then he must pay fifteen kilos of wheat or rice, or its monetary value.
\nIt becomes due on the eve of `Iddul \\’l-fitr and must be paid before one performs the special sal\u00e2t of `idd. This zak\u00e2t is to be paid to the poor and the needy so that they may be able to share in the happiness and joy of the day of `iddu \\’l-fitr.<\/p>\n
\nAll other forms of charity are considered as sunnat zak\u00e2t or sunnat sadaqah. The levels of voluntary charity has already been discussed in the previous lesson. Here I would like to mention one more sunnat zak\u00e2t: If a business man buys certain merchandise for investment and it remains in his inventory for a full year, then it is recommended that he should pay the zak\u00e2t on that particular merchandise at the rate of 2.5% of its market value. This recommendation is applicable only if the value of that merchandise is at least equal to 69 grams of gold.<\/p>\n
\nThe revenue generated from the zak\u00e2t tax is to be used for the following persons and projects:
\n1. The Poor: a person who does not earn enough to cover a year\\’s expenses for himself and his family.
\n2. The Needy: a poor person who is so desperate that he begs for his needs.
\n3. Those in debt: A person who is in debt and does not have the ability to pay it off can be helped from the zak\u00e2t fund for the paying of the debt.
\n4. In the way of Allah: A project which can be classified as \u201cfi sab\u00eeli \u2019l-l\u00e2h \u2014 in the way of Allah\u201d can also be financed by the zak\u00e2t fund. This includes construction of roads, bridges, hospitals, shelters for the poor, mosques, religious schools, religious publications and other projects which contribute to the betterment of the society in general.
\n5. The Way-farer: A traveller who has run out of money and, therefore, cannot return to his home, can be helped by the zak\u00e2t fund.
\n6. Those poor non-Muslims whose hearts are inclined towards Islam and\/or Muslims. Islam allowes the use the zak\u00e2t to win the goodwill of the financially weak non-Muslims in whom one finds an inclination towards the religion of Islam or towards the Muslim people.
\n7. The Zak\u00e2t-Collectors: The wages of those who work in the revenue department of an Islamic government to collect zak\u00e2t comes out of the zak\u00e2t revenue itself.
\n8. The slaves: Islam allowes the usage of zak\u00e2t to buy slaves in order to emancipate them in the way of Allah.
\nhis list is based on the following verse of the Qur\\’\u00e2n: \u201cThe alms (zak\u00e2t) are only for the poor, the needy, those who work (to collect) them, those (unbelievers) whose hearts are inclined (towards the truth), the slaves, the debtors, in the way of Allah, and the traveller. So does Allah ordain. Allah is Knowing, Wise.\u201d (9:60)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"