What is Zakaah (Poor-Due)?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

What is Zakaah (Poor-Due)?

By: Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi

Email: qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in

Foreword:

Zakaah, which is called “Poor Due” or “Compulsory Alms” in English language, is a unique and rarest system found in Islam and amongst Muslims. This is the best plan to remove poverty from the people suffering from. It’s not only interest free support for the poor, but it’s also the favour free. When a Muslim is bestowed with the wealth and it reaches the requisite amount (Nisaab) for Zakaah, it’s his duty, at that time, to pay Zakaah to the poor and the needy people without expressing any favour and hoping any thanking word. If every human being who has the requisite mount to pay Zakaah and he gives, not a single person will die of hunger in the world, In-Shaa-Allah.

Definition of Zakaah:

Zakaah (زكاة) is an Arabic root word that linguistically means “To Purify”, “Purification” and “Growth”. In Shariah, Zakaah is paying a 2.5% of wealth by the owner, each lunar year, to the poor and needy Muslims as stipulated in the glorious Qur’an and thereby making them the owners of the given wealth. It’s also known as “Poor Due” and “Compulsory Alms”.

When Zakaah was Made Fardh:

Zakaah was made Fardh in the 2^nd Hijrah in Madinah Manawwarah, because the verses of the Qur’an regarding Zakaah were revealed in Madinah Manawwarah. And it’s also proved by the Hadeeth narrated by Qais bin Saad (ra). The Hadeeth is as follows:

       "أمرنا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بصدقة الفطر قبل أن تنزل الزكاة، ثم نزلت فريضة الزكاة فلم يأمرنا ولم ينهنا، ونحن نفعله۔" (رواه النسائي)

Translation: “Allah’s Apostle (Sallallahu Aleihi Wa Sallam) commanded us about Sadaqatul Fitr before the revelation of (the verse of) Zakaah, latter the Zakaah was made compulsory by revelation, so neither he commanded us nor stopped us (regarding Sadqatul Fitr), and we were doing as usual.” (Al-Nasaai)

Zakaah in the Qur’an and Hadeeth:

Allah, the Almighty said in the holy Qur’an in Surah Baqarah:

 "وأقيموا الصلاة وآتوا الزكاة"( البقرة: ۴۳ )

(Translation) And be steadfast in Salaah (prayer), and pay Zakaah.

The Almighty Allah said at another place in Surah Muzzammil:

وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا وَأَعْظَمَ أَجْرًا۔ (المزّمّل: ۲۰)

(Translation) And establish Salaah, and pay Zakaah, and advance to Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you will send ahead for your own-selves, you will find it with Allah much better in condition, and much greater in reward.

Similarly Allah, the Almighty has described Zakaah at numerous places, for instance, Surah Al-Mujadalah: 13, Surah Al-Noor: 56, Surah Al-Hajj: 78, etc.

There are also some Ahaadeeth of the beloved Nabi Muhammad (Sallallahu Aleihi Wa Sallam) regarding Zakaah:         

عن ابن عمر رضي الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: بني الإسلام على خمس: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، وإقام الصلاة، وإيتاء الزكاة، والحج، وصوم رمضان. (صحیح البخاري)

(Translation) It is narrated on the authority of Ibne Umar (ra) that the Messenger of Allah said: “Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, to offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly, to pay Zakaah (poor due), to perform Hajj and to observe fast during the month of Ramadhan.” (Bukhari)

Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (saws) sent Muaad (ra) to Yemen and said to him:

"أعلمهم أن الله افترض عليهم صدقة في أموالهم تؤخذ من أغنيائهم وترد على فقرائهم۔" (رواه البخاري)

Translation: “Make them known that Allah has made Sadqah (Zakaah) Fardh in their wealth that would be taken from their rich people and will be given to their poor people.” (Bukhari)

قال أبو بكرٍ: واللّه لأقاتلنّ من فرّق بين الصّلاة والزّكاة ، فإنّ الزّكاة حقّ المال. واللّه لو منعوني عناقًا كانوا يؤدّونها إلى رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم لقاتلتهم على منعها قال عمر: فواللّه ما هو إلاّ أن قد شرح اللّه صدر أبي بكرٍ رضي الله عنه ، فعرفت أنّه الحقّ۔ (صحیح البخاري)

(Translation) Abu Bakar (ra) said, “By Allah, certainly I’ll fight against the one who differentiates between Salaah and Zakaah, because the Zakaah is the right of the wealth. By Allah, if they stop me from a rope were paying it to the Messenger of Allah (saws), I’ll fight against them on its stopping.” (Hearing it) Umar (ra) said, “By Allah, verily Allah has satisfied the heart of Abu Bakar (ra), so, I know that he is right.” (Al-Bukhari)

Status of Zakaah in Shariah:

Zakaah is one among those which Allah Taa’alaa made Fardh-Compulsory on His servants. It’s one among the five pillars of Islam. Allah has commanded in His Noble Book the Zakaah being Fardh at numerous places as saying: “Establish Salaah and give Zakaah”. One who denies its being Fardh is no more in the fold of Islam; rather he is a non-Muslim.

Upon whom Zakaah is Fardh?

Zakaah is Fardh on the one who has the following qualities. The qualities are as follow:

1.      To be Muslim. So, Zakaah is not Fardh upon a non-Muslim.

2.      To be mature. So, Zakaah is not Fardh upon an immature person.

3.      To be sensible. So, Zakaah is not Fardh on a mad person.

4.      To be Free. So, Zakaah is not Fardh upon a slave.

5.      To own the wealth in the quantity of Nisaab for one lunar year. So, if someone owns the wealth in the quantity of Nisaab less than one lunar year, Zakaah is not compulsory on him.

6.      The wealth must be Zakaatable, as gold, silver, money or the trading goods.

7.      The wealth must be extra from the Real Needs of owner. So, the Zakaah is not Fardh in the residential building or house, the furniture of the house, the clothes for wearing and the vehicle and car for personal use. 

What is Complete Requisite Amount (Nisaab) for Zakaah?

The complete requisite amount (Nisaab) for paying Zakaah is to owe 200 Daraahim of Silver or 20 Mithqaal of Gold or the equivalent of either amount in the prevalent currency or a trader owing the trade goods to the value of either amount.

200 Daraahim of Silver and 20 Mithqaal of Gold:

In modern weight, 200 Daraahim is equal to 595 grams and 20 Mithqaal is equal to 85 grams. So, if a person owns the things as mentioned above; at that time he must pay Zakaah.

Upon Whom Can Zakaah Fund Be Spent?

Allah, the Exalted has mentioned in the Glorious Qur’an that upon whom the fund of Zakaah should be spent. He says:

إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاء وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ (التوبۃ: ۶۰)

(Translation) The Sadaqat (prescribed alms) are (meant) only to be given to the poor, the needy, to those employed to collect them, to those whose hearts are to be won, in the cause of the slaves and those encumbered with debt, in the way of Allah and to a wayfarer. This is an obligation prescribed by Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.

According to the above mentioned verse of the Quraan, thus there are eight categories upon whom the Zakaah fund can be spent. They are:

1.      Fuqaraa: Those who have minimal possession which does not reach the requisite amount (Nisaab).

2.      Masaakeen: Those who don’t have anything.

3.      Those who are employed to collect Zakaah: Those who are working to collect the Zakaah fund from the Muslims.

4.      Those whose hearts are to be own: They were of three types: Kuffar whom Rasulullah (saws) gave to soften their hearts to enter Islam, some whom he (saws) gave Zakaah in order to avert their evil, and some who had embraced Islam but were weak and needed strengthening. When Islam gained victory and became independent, then ruling of spending Zakaah to such people were dropped.

5.      Slaves: Those who have a contract with their owners that if they pay the owners a certain amount, then he will be set free.

6.      Those encumbered with debt: Those who is so indebted that he is unable to repay it from his wealth.

7.      In Allah’s way: Those who have gone to wage Jihaad and have been separated from their groups and are in need of money for expenses.

8.      Wayfarers or Travelers: Those who don’t have money on his journey even if they have money at the home.

These were some necessary points on the topic, so I have noted it down here. But before I’m going to conclude this piece of writing, I would like to highlight that  according to the above mentioned criteria, If someone is entitled to receive Zakaah, then he/she should take Zakaah that can fulfill his/her need without hesitation. And if someone has the request amount to give Zakaah, he must give Zakaah and doesn’t worry that the wealth decreasing and lessening; but it’ll grow and payer will get the rewards and benefits.

Benefits of Giving Zakaah:

1.      Allah’s pleasure.

2.      Growth in the wealth.

3.      Protection of wealth from losses.

4.      Safety of wealth from calamities.

5.      Shelter on the Day of Judgment.

Chastisement and Threat on not Paying Zakaah:

If being eligible, one doesn’t give Zakaah, he must know the following chastisement and threat by Allah and His messenger Muhammad (saws):

Allah says in the glorious Quraan:

وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلاَ يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ يَوْمَ يُحْمَى عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَى بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ هَذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُواْ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ۔ (التوبۃ: ۳۴ و ۳۵)

(Translation) As for those who accumulate gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allah, give them the good news of a painful punishment. On the day it (the wealth) will be heated up in the fire of Jahannam, then their foreheads and their sides and their backs shall be branded with it. This is what you had accumulated for yourselves. So, taste what you have been accumulating.

Now we present here some of Ahaadeeth of our beloved Nabi (saws) in which he mentioned the thread about those who are not giving Zakaah being qualified to do:

عن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: من آتاه الله مالا، فلم يؤدي زكاته، مثل له يوم القيامة شجاعا أقرع، له زبيبتان، يطوقه يوم القيامة، ثم يأخذ بلهزميه، يعني شدقيه، ثم يقول: أنا مالك، أنا كنزك ۔ (صحيح البخاري)

(Translation) It’s narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra) that he says the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, “On whoever is bestowed wealth by Allah and doesn’t pay Zakaah for his wealth, on the Resurrection Day his wealth will be shaped into a bald-headed venomous snake with two black spots over its eyes. The snake will enclose his neck and grasp his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.”  

Rasulullah (saws) said, “If anyone possessing gold or silver does not pay what is due on it, then on the Day of Resurrection, his gold and silver will be converted into plates that will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam till they become like plates of fire itself. And then his side, forehead and back will be branded with them, again and again, during a day which will be fifty thousand years long. Thereafter, he will go to his destined Jannah or Jahannam.”

May Allah give us guidance to understand Islam and the Islamic teachings and to abide by it! Aameen!

 (The author, Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi, is a graduate of Darul Uloom, Deoband and at present teacher of Moon Rays Trust School, Zambia, S. Africa. He can be reached at qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in)