I would like to call the attention of my fellow Muslims as well as admonish them as regards the Islamic etiquette on the issue of giving Zakat and to whom it is supposed to be given. Of the five fundamentals of Islam, Zakat occupies the second position, the first being prayer. Zakat is paid on the surplus of wealth which is left over after the passage of a year.
It is thus a payment on the accumulated wealth. Leaving aside animals and agricultural yield, Zakat is paid at almost a uniform rate of two and a half per cent. The minimum standard of surplus wealth over which Zakat is charged is known as Nisab.
Zakat is the most effective measure to improve the economic condition of the have-nots. It is not, however, a mere tax, but a form of worship whereby a man comes close to his Lord. The primary motive of Zakat is religious and spiritual, while the social and economic aspects are subservient to it. Its social significance is that it awakens in man the sense of brotherhood with less fortunate members of the society, and stirs his moral conscience to make sacrifice for their sake.
From the economic point of view, it discourages hoarding and concentration of wealth and helps its steady and constant flow from the rich to the poor. It is in fact a good means of providing purchasing power to the poor, for ameliorating their hard lot and enabling them to stand on their own legs.
It should also be remembered that Zakat or sadaqa in Islam is not a voluntary act of charity which a rich man gives to the poor out of his own sweet will, but it is an obligatory act which every Muslim is enjoined to perform if he is sincere in his belief in God and the hereafter.
As regards the persons to whom Zakat is to be paid, it is a form of charity which is given to the poor and needy. It is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for every Muslim who is financially stable. The main objective of Zakat is to help the society by giving something from one’s wealth. In return, the Muslims get tremendous rewards, not only in this world but also in hereafter. Zakat also purifies one’s wealth and possessions. Islam guides us to make this world a better place by helping others in need and that’s why it puts emphasis on charity.
In a nutshell, I would like to remind my fellow Muslims who have means of giving Zakat to those who are eligible to receive it and give it out in order to save ourselves from hellfire.
Mallam Musbahu Magayaki
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