Zakat:

Zakat is one of the most important pillars of Islam. It is mandatory for every
muslim who is financially stable, to pay zakat to the poor and needy. Zakat is an
act of worship which every muslim should perform to help the underprivileged
muslims.
In Quran, zakat is discussed for a number of times.
According to Islam, zakat is meant to be paid in order to purify the wealth.
Therefore, those muslims who have enough wealth have to give a little amount
It is the duty of wealthy people to serve the deprived community by helping them
in every possible way. Zakat is not a voluntary charity but an obligation. Muslims
pay zakat every year in order to purify their wealth and to seek blessings from
Allah.
Zakat and Tax:

Some people might think Zakat is a form of tax. It is not. Zakat and tax are two entirely different things. One
is a spiritual act and an obligation as a caring human being and the other is a requirement of secular law.
The concept of Zakat is to assist the poor and those who are suffering in order to help them end their
suffering and get back on their feet.

Zakat Nisab
Zakat is applicable on every Muslim who owns Nisab viz. 613.35 grams of silver,
or 87.49 grams of gold or who owns one or more assets liable, equal in value to
613.35 grams of silver or 87.49 grams of gold.

Jewellery and Precious Metal – Case in point, Gold and Silver. Both are come under Zakat even if they
are used merely for decorative purposes. The reason behind it is simple; they contribute towards your
cumulative wealth and as such their worth must be tabulated when calculating Zakat.

 Bank Accounts – Any cash, bonds, stock one might have in their savings account. The amount should be in the
bank for one year. Loans given or funds received are also part of the Zakat process.
 Cattle and Crops - Cattle and crops that are in excess of one’s need.

You should pay zakat on any surplus wealth under your pocession. This includes:

 Gold, silver and other jewellery / ornaments

 Money you lend to others
 Shares and stocks
 Pension amount
 Cash saved in bank, home or given for committee
  Property which you buy for investment purpose
General Conditions of Zakat
Following are the two
 Paying Zakat In Advance: People who wish to pay for Zakat for future years can certainly do so. Keep in mind
that the pre-paid amount can be offset against the actual zakat liability incurred in future years.
 Payment in Kind: Zakat can be paid in many ways. The ideal way for today’s fast paced world is cash or if some
people prefer, they can pay in kind as long as the value of goods are equal to the cash amount and furthermore, the
recipient has agreed to accept the goods in kind.

Who can receive the Zakat?

Zakat should spend on following people, There are eight kinds of people to whom zakat can
be given as mentioned in Quran:
 The Furaqa (Poor) They don’t have enough wealth to meet the basic necessities of
life.
 Al-Maskin (Needy) These people don’t have any type of income or possessions.
 Aamileen (Zakat collector) The administrators or organizations who are authorized to
receive zakat to distribute among the poor people.
 Muallafatul (Poor and needy recently converted to Islam) People who newly converted to
Islam and have no means to survive because of detachment from family.
 Ar-Riqaab (slaves) Those who are kept as slaves. Your zakat can help freeing
captives or slaves.
 Ibnus Sabeel (a traveler in need of financial assistance)
 Al Ghaarimeen (A debtor) Those who have no means to pay off their debts.
 Fi Sabeelillah (who are away from home in the path of Allah) Those who are fighting in the
path of Allah are entitled to receive zakat.

 CAN YOU PAY ZAKAT TO RELATIVES?

 Yes, you can give zakat to your relatives if they are poor and needy.
However, you cannot give zakat to your parents, children, spouse, siblings
and other with whom you have blood relation

Benefits of Zakat: Zakat has many benefits some of them are listed below:
 It brings a servant close to his Lord and increases his faith. This is the case with all of the acts of worship.
 Paying Zakat results in great reward from Allah Almighty. The Prophet (SAW) said:
“Whoever gives away charity the size of a date, which is earned lawfully, since Allah only accepts the
good lawful things, Allah will indeed take it with His right Hand and cause it to grow for its owner, just as
one of you raises up his colt, to the point that the charity will become like the size of a mountain.” [Al-
Bukhari]
 Allah removes the (minor) sins by giving Zakat, as the Prophet (SAW) said: “Giving charity wipes away sins
just as water extinguishes the fire.”
 It helps Muslims to follow the honorable path.
 It helps in purification of the heart.
 It helps in reducing the poverty from society.
 Most important benefit of Zakat is the purification of the halal money.
 It cleans one’s character from being a miser.
 It is proof of the truthfulness of the faith of he who gives Zakat.
 It makes one reach the rank of the perfect believer. The Prophet (SAW) said: “None of you truly believes
until he loves his brother what he loves himself.” [Muslim]
 It makes an Islamic society a single family in which the rich helps the poor

Zakat Cannot Be Used For

 building mosques
 to bury the deceased
 to clear the debt of the deceased

 Conclusion:
 Zakat is a mandatory practice of Islam and the purpose of it is to help the
society ,share the endless boons of Allah and give the unfortunate ones a
better life. Therefore, every person must ensure that Zakat is paid to the most
deserving people.
 Our environment and the world in which we live and work in, is the mirror of
our attitudes, deeds and what we are giving them back every day. Human
life is not meant to be wasted in selfishness.It is meant to be dedicated for
the good of others.
 To lead a purposeful and worthy life it’s important we remain honest to
ourselves and the society. A person of high character is the one who serves
the family, society and its people and give charity or Zakat to empower
others to have a better life.