Zakat: The Prescribed Charity

ZAKAT: THE PRESCRIBED CHARITY Zakat or the alms-tax, is one of the five basic tenets of Islam. Zakat means purity. This means that a man purifies his earnings by giving away one part of them in the path of God. In this way, zakat awakens the sense in man not to consider his earnings as his own possession, but a gift of God. Zakat is, in essence, a practical acknowledgement of God’s bounties. And this admission is no doubt the greatest form of worship. Zakat payment is obligatory, at the minimum fixed rate of 2.5% per annum, on all wealth that is subject to growth. It takes the form of the giving of alms out of one’s own private means. This amount is given in the name of God and is to be spent on worthy religious causes ‘for the sake of God’ and on meeting the needs of the poor and the helpless. Zakat is an annual reminder to man that everything he possesses belongs to God, and that nothing should, therefore, be withheld from Him. Man himself plays only a very small part in obtaining whatever he owns in this world. Were he not to have the benefit of God’s endless bounty, he would neither be able to grow grain, raise cattle, set up industries nor accomplish any other work of a useful nature. The system of life created for him by God, fulfilling all of his requirements from those of his inner being to those of his external environment, is one of greatest perfection. Were God to withdraw even a single one of His blessings, all man’s schemes would lie in ruins and all his efforts would be in vain. All productivity would grind to a halt, and life itself would come to a standstill. Therefore, one should give Zakat to others with the feeling that they are giving them their rightful share in his wealth, for this is as God has ordained. Zakat gives a clear indication of what one’s responsibilities to others should be. Everyone is required to recognize the rights of others,