In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful

by Sahibzada Hafiz Muhammad A Wahid

What is Zakah?

Literally, Zakah means 'to purify or cleanse', but in the Shariah term Zakah is an act of monetary worship and the third pillar (duty) of Islam. It is Fard (obligatory) upon every Muslim and one who denies this Fard is Kafir and the one who does not pay or delay to pay Zakah is a great Sinner. Obligation and payment of Zakah is mentioned thirty two times in the holy Quran with Salah. It was made compulsory upon Muslims on the third year of Hijra. Zakah is to be paid once a year on savings at the rate of two and half per cent (2.5%). This rate applies to cash, bank savings, gold and silver jewellery. The rate for cattle and agricultural product is different. The payment of Zakah purifies and cleanses the remaining wealth, which is blessed by Allah (S.W.T). That is why this act of worship has been termed Zakah as it purifies one's wealth and causes it to grow in the next World.

Importance of Zakah

As it has been said above Zakah and Salah has mentioned together at about 32 times in the Quran. It is the foremost duty of the Muslims after the affirmation of Faith and Salah. Allah (S.W.T.) Said in the Quran " Successful are those who pay Zakah" (Surah Al-Muminun Verse 3). The Quran states the importance of Zakah on another place. In that verse Allah (S.W.T) said "if they repent even now, and establish Salah and pay Zakah du'as, then they shall be your brethren in Faith" (9: 11)

Thus, according to this verse, Salah and Zakah are the main features of Islam and a clear testimony of one's faith in it; the refusal to pay Zakah is a characteristic of the idolatrous people, who do not believe in the Hereafter and are wholly devoid of faith. During the time of Hazrat Abu Bakr ® (The Second Caliph of Islam and the most beloved companion of our Prophet peace be upon him, some tribes refused to pay their Zakah, he regarded this as an act of apostasy and declared: "By God! I shall certainly wage war against the people who discriminate between Salah and Zakah (Bukhari, Muslim)

There are many Ahadith of our beloved Prophet (S.A.), which mentioned the importance of Zakah. I would like to mention one of them: Rasulullah (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "A generous person is close to Allah (swt), close to Jannah and close to people, but far away from Jahannam; whereas a miser is far away from Allah (swt.), far from Jannah and far from people but he is close to Jahannam. An ignorant but generous person is certainly dear to Allah (s.w.t) than a pious miser." (Muslim - Mishkat)

Purpose of Zakah

The aim of Zakah is to root out the love and greed of this World from the hearts of the believers and to include in it the pure love of Allah. Zakah provides us with the opportunity of sharing our excess wealth with those less fortunate than ourselves. The real owner of our wealth is our Lord. We are merely the trustees of His wealth.

Consequences of not paying Zakah

The Quran states about those who do not pay Zakah: "The day shall surely come when the same gold and silver shall be heated in the fire of hell, and there with their foreheads, their bodies and their backs shall had hoarded up for yourselves: now taste the evil of your hoarded wealth". (9: 34-35). The Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said about those who do not pay Zakah: "The wealth of the person who is favoured with it by Allah, but who does not pay Zakah on it, will appear on the last day as a deadly poisonous snake with a bald head, having two black spots over its eyes: it will twine itself round the neck of the greedy, will say: 'I am your wealth that you kept hoarded'.

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