Good Deed: #92 Pay Your Zakaah

http://1000gooddeeds.com/2009/12/23/good-deed-92-pay-your-zakaah/

1. 2:43 (Y. Ali) And be steadfast in prayer; practice regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship).
2. 2:110 (Y. Ali) And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you, ye shall find it with Allah for Allah sees Well all that ye do.
3. 2:215 (Y. Ali) They ask thee what they should spend (in charity). Say: Whatever ye spend that is good is for parents and kindred and orphans and those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever ye do that is good, (Allah) knoweth it well.
4. 2:264 (Y. Ali) O ye who believe! Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like those who spend their substance to be seen of men, but believe neither in Allah nor in the Last Day. They are in parable like a hard, barren rock, on which is a little soil: on it falls heavy rain, which leaves it (just) a bare stone. They will be able to do nothing with aught they have earned. And Allah guideth not those who reject faith.
5. 2:271 (Y. Ali) If ye disclose (acts of) charity, even so it is well, but if ye conceal them, and make them reach those (really) in need, that is best for you: It will remove from you some of your (stains of) evil. And Allah is well acquainted with what ye do.
6. 2:277 (Y. Ali) Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
7. 9:60 The charity (Zakaat) is only for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect (the Zakaat), those whose hearts will be inclined (towards Islaam, by giving them Zakaat), for slaves, for those in debt, for (Jihaad in) the cause of Allaah, and for the wayfarer (i.e. destitute traveler). It is an obligation imposed by Allaah, and Allaah is the All-Knower, the All-Wise.”
8. 9:71 (Y. Ali) The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in power, Wise. 9. 24:56 (Y. Ali) So establish regular Prayer and give regular charity; and obey the Messenger. that ye may receive mercy.
10. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “(On the Day of Resurrection) camels will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had (in the world), and if he had not paid their Zakat (in the world) then they would tread him with their feet; and similarly, sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had in the world, and if he had not paid their Zakat, then they would tread him with their hooves and would butt him with their horns.” The Prophet added, “One of their rights is that they should be milked while water is kept in front of them.” The Prophet added, “I do not want anyone of you to come to me on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating. Such a person will (then) say, ‘O Muhammad! (Please intercede for me,) I will say to him. ‘I can’t help you, for I conveyed Allah’s Message to you.’ Similarly, I do not want anyone of you to come to me carrying over his neck a camel that will be grunting. Such a person (then) will say “O Muhammad! (Please intercede for me).” I will say to him, “I can’t help you for I conveyed Allah’s message to you.” Bukhari 2:24:485
11. Narrated Ibn Masud: I heard the Prophet saying, “There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to others.” Bukhari 2:24:490
12. Narrated Aisha: Some of the wives of the Prophet asked him, “Who amongst us will be the first to follow you (i.e. die after you)?” He said, “Whoever has the longest hand.” So they started measuring their hands with a stick and Sauda’s hand turned out to be the longest. (When Zainab bint Jahsh died first of all in the caliphate of ‘Umar), we came to know that the long hand was a symbol of practicing charity, so she was the first to follow the Prophet and she used to love to practice charity. Bukhari 2:24:501

Action Plan

1. Download zakah calculator from Sanzaf

Linguistically, Zakat has two meanings: purification and growth. Technically, it means to purify one’s possession of wealth by distributing a prescribed amount to the poor, the indigent, the slaves or captives, and the wayfarer.

There are many major benefits of giving Zakat:
1. It reminds Muslims of the fact that whatever wealth they may possess is due to the blessings of Allah and as such it is to be spent according to His commands.
2. Zakat functions as a social security for all. Those who have enough money today pay for what they have. If they need money tomorrow they will get what is necessary to help them live decently.
3. Zakat payer pays his dues to Allah as an act of worship, a token of submission and an acknowledgment of gratitude. The receiver of Zakat receives it as a grant from Allah out of His bounty, a favor for which he is thankful to Allah.
4. Economically, Zakat is the best check against hoarding. Those who do not invest their wealth but prefer to save or hoard it would see their wealth dwindling year after year at the rate of the payable Zakat. This helps increase production and stimulates supply because it is a redistribution of income that enhances the demand by putting more real purchasing power in the hands of poor.

Zakat is obligatory upon a person if:
1. He or she is an adult, sane, free and Muslim.
2. He/she must possess wealth in excess of specified minimum (Nisaab) excluding his or her personal needs (clothing, household furniture, utensils, cars etc. are termed article of personal needs).
3. It should be possessed for a complete lunar year.
4. It should be of productive nature from which one can derive profit or benefit such as merchandise for business, gold, silver, livestock etc.

The amount of wealth which makes one liable for Zakat is called Nisaab. The Nisaab as fixed by Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is as follows:
Item/ Grams/ Tolas/ Grains/ Troy Oz.
GOLD/ 87.48/ 7.50/ 1350/ 2.8125
SILVER/ 612.36/ 52.50/ 9450/ 19.6875

Nisaab of cash, stock or bonds, other cash assets is the equivalent amount of Gold or Silver. Nisaab is calculated by adding up the cash value of all the assets such as gold, silver, currency etc. and if it is equal to or in excess of the minimum Nisaab as specified in the above table, the Zakat is due at the rate of 2.5%.

The payment of Zakat is compulsory on the excess wealth or affects which is equal to or exceeds the value of Nisaab, and which is possessed for a full Islamic year. If such wealth decreases during the course of the year and increases again to the value of Nisaab before the end of the year, the Zakat then must be calculated on the full amount that is possessed at the end of the year.

Types of wealth on which Zakat is imposed:
1. Gold and silver, in any form
2. Cash, bank notes, stocks, bonds etc.
3. Merchandise for business, equal to the value of Nisaab
4. Live stock
5. On income derived from rental business

Calculation of Zakat:
1. To calculate Zakat on jewelry etc. one must first determine the gold or silver content and then calculate the Zakat according to current market price.
2. If the Gold possessed is less than 87.48 grams or if silver possessed is less then 612.36 grams, but the value of both combined is equal to or exceeds the Nisaab of either Gold or Silver, the Zakat will be due.
3. In the event of an article not being of pure gold or pure silver, but containing a mixture of other metals and the gold or silver content is more than the other metal, it will be regarded as gold or silver and Zakat will be due. But in the case where other metal(s) is of greater quantity than either gold or silver, Zakat will not be due on this article.
4. For stocks (shares held in a company), Zakat is calculated based upon the current market value. As machinery, land, fixtures and fittings, furniture, buildings etc. are exempt from Zakat, one is allowed to subtract these from the total asset. This could be obtained from annual reports. For example, if one has shares worth $1000 and machinery, land etc., are worth 5% of the total asset, then deduct $50 for these assets, afterwards deduct the liabilities of the company proportionately to the percentage of shares held. Zakat must be calculated on the balance.

Distribution of Zakat:
1. Zakat should be given as soon as possible after it becomes due.
2. All of the Zakat can be given to one person or to several persons.
3. A poor man cannot be paid for his work from Zakat nor can Zakat be given in payment of services, except to the people appointed by the Islamic government to collect Zakat.
4. Zakat will only be valid if the recipient is made the owner of that amount. If, for example, a few needy persons are fed a meal from Zakat money, then Zakat will not be fulfilled as they were not made owners of the food.
5. Zakat cannot be given for the construction of Masjid, Madrasah, Hospital, a well, a bridge or any other public amenity.
6. Zakat can be paid in kind from the same merchandise on which it is due, or alternatively, it could be paid in cash.

Types of wealth on which Zakat is not imposed:
1. On any metals other than gold or silver.
2. Fixtures and fittings of a shop, car, trucks or any delivery vehicle etc., which is used in running business.
3. Diamonds, pearls, other precious or semi precious stones which are for personal use.
4. There is no Zakat on personal residence, household furniture, pots and pan, personal clothing, whether they are in use or not.
5. There is no Zakat on a person whose liabilities exceeds or equals his assets. (Home Mortgage in this country is not to be counted as personal liability for the Zakat purpose).

Recipients of Zakat:
The recipients of Zakat, according to Quran are as follows:

“Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer (the funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to truth); for those in bondage and in debt; and for the wayfarer: (Thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.” (Surah At-Taubah 9:60)

1. FUQARA: people who are poor and who possess more than their basic needs but do not possess wealth equal to Nisaab.
2. MASAKEEN: people who are destitute and extremely needy to the extent they are forced to beg for their daily food rations.
3. AL-AMILEEN: people appointed by an Islamic Government to collect Zakat.
4. MU-ALLAFATUL-QULUB: persons who have recently accepted Islam and are in need of basic necessities who would benefit from encouragement by Muslims which would help strengthen their faith.
5. AR-RIQAAB: slaves who are permitted to work for remuneration and have an agreement from their masters to purchase their freedom on payment of fixed amounts.
6. AL-GHAARIMEEN: persons who have a debt and do not possess any other wealth or goods with which they could repay that which they owe. It is conditional that this debt was not created for any un-Islamic purpose.
7. FI-SABILILLAH: persons who have to carry out an obligatory deed which has become obligatory on them and subsequently (due to loss of wealth) are unable to complete that obligation.
8. IBN-US-SABEEL: persons who are travelers and during the course of their journey do not possess basic necessities, though they are well to do at home. They could be given Zakat in order to fulfill travel needs to return home.

People who cannot be given Zakat:
1. Zakat cannot be given to the descendants of Muhammad (P.B.U.H);
2. Zakat cannot be given to parents and grandparents. In the same manner one’s children and grandchildren cannot be given Zakat. A husband and wife cannot give Zakat to each other.
3. Zakat contributions cannot be given to such institutions or organizations that do not give the rightful recipients possession of Zakat, but instead use Zakat funds for constructions, investment or salaries.

source: zakah made easy