Benefits of Zakat: Have you ever wondered Why do Muslim Pay Zakat?
zakat meaning ?
Zakat is an obligation imposed on a Muslim to pay 2.5% of the income he earns during a calendar year to the Poor and needy.The word Zakat comes 88 times in Quran. ZAKAT means “that which purifies”.It is a form of obligatory alms-giving and religious tax in Islam.Allah enjoined Zakat upon the faithful believer,making it a third pillar of Islam.
How is zakat a Blessing ?Benefits of Zakat:
Mention of Zakat in Quran
1) ZAKAH PURIFY THE HEART FROM SELFISHNESS AND GREED
Love of Wealth is an innate human tendency.Paying Zakat purify the wealth and increase the halal earning.
:
Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [ Allah ‘s blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.(9:103 -surah Al tawbah)
2) ZAKAH IS AN EXPRESSION OF WORSHIP AND TOTAL SUBMISSION OF ALLAH
And they were not commanded except to worship Allah , [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakat. And that is the correct religion.(98:5 )
3) ZAKAH ENCORPORATES THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND RELATIVE EQUALITY AMONG MEMBERS OF SOCIETY:
When the wealthy distribute the annual amount of Zakat amount the rightful beneficiaries,wealth ceases to build up in a few hands and instead kept in constant circulation.
Reference:
Sahih international: SURAH aL HASHR -59:7
And what Allah restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns – it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and orphans and the [stranded] traveler – so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you. And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
4) ZAKAH HAS LOTS OF REWARD.
Reference:
surah Al-baqarah(2:277)
Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish prayer and give zakah will have their reward with their Lord, and there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
5) ZAKAH IS A MULTIPLIER OF WEALTH
Reference:
And whatever you give for interest to increase within the wealth of people will not increase with Allah . But what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah – those are the multipliers.
Zakat ~ A respite to Poor and Destitute
ZAKAT= BARAKAH
Want to learn more about Zakah like who is eligible for Zakat and how to calculate Zakat ? There are a number of videos in You tube about Zakah and there are good books in this topic available too . If you think you still won’t be able to calculate zakah by yourself ,then you can consult any scholar and ask them to help you.
Giving Zakat to relatives
What should Zakaat and Fidya be used for?
In principle, Fidya and Zakat must be given to poor Muslims who are eligible recipients of Zakat. Accordingly, Zakat and Fidya money cannot be used to pay for Madrassah expenses(ref)
The Recipient of zakat
The recipient of Zakat is every needy Muslim who does not have enough wealth that meets the Nisab level and does not have enough to meet his real needs. The recipient can not be a Hashmi, nor one’s husband or wife, nor offspring, including a person’s son, daughter, grandson, and granddaughter. The recipient can not be his parents mother or father, grandfather and grandmother. Apart from these, all other people can receive Zakat. A Hashmi is a person who is a descendant of the blessed Prophet’s ﷺ family, the children of Sayyida Fatimah, the Prophet’s ﷺ daughter.”
Not having enough to meet the Nisab means:
1) He has no wealth whatsoever in which case he would be called miskeen.
2) He does have some wealth but it is less than the Nisab, in this case he is classified as Faqir.
3) He does have the Nisab amount, but his real needs are so great that he is in debt.
4) He has the Nisab amount and has no debt. However, he is a traveller and does not have enough to meet his needs during his journey.
Zakat can be paid to needy relatives who do not have the Nisab. For example, one’s brother, sister, maternal and paternal uncles, and one’s son-in-law if they are needy. In fact, paying Zakat to them earns double the reward.
Another recipient of Zakat mentioned in Surah Al-Tauba, verse 60, is ‘in Allah’s cause.’ This means those warriors, soldiers, and pilgrims who do not possess means of livelihood. According to some, it refers to the student of Islam. In the commentary of Bada’i it means “all works deserving divine merits.”
Another condition when giving Zakat is that the recipient should be made the full owner, someone who has control over the money, this is known as Tamleek. This is in contrast to providing a shroud and a coffin for a funeral, digging a well, building a school, a bridge, or a hostel. Zakat cannot be spent on such projects. If one wants to spend on any of these projects.
Read More articles on What you need to know more as a Muslim .
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