Zakat

1.0. Why is paying Zakat beneficial for me in the hereafter?

"If you lend to Allah a goodly loan ( i.e. spend in Allah's Cause) He will double it for you, and will forgive you. And Allah is Most Ready to appreciate and to reward, Most Forbearing." [Al-Quran 64:17]

"Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan, then (Allah) will increase it manifold to his credit (in repaying), and he will have (besides) a good reward ( i.e. Paradise)." [Al-Quran 57:11]

"Verily, those who give Sadaqat ( i.e. Zakat and alms, etc.), men and women, and lend to Allah a goodly loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit), and theirs shall be an honorable good reward (i.e. Paradise )." [Al-Quran 57:18]

"The believers must (eventually) win through, Those who humble themselves in their prayers; Who avoid vain talk; Who are active in deeds of charity." [Al-Quran 23:1-4]

"Ta Sin! These are the verses of the Quran and the Book that makes (things) clear, A guidance and good news for the believers, Who keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate (Zakat), and of the Hereafter, they are sure". [Al-Quran 27:1-3]

"...keep up prayer and pay the poor-due and offer to Allah a goodly gift, and whatever of good you send on beforehand for yourselves, you will find it with Allah; that is best and greatest in reward; and ask forgiveness of Allah; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." [Al-Quran 73:20]

"Surely they who believe and do good deeds and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate (Zakat) they shall have their reward from their Lord, and they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve." [Al-Quran 2:277]

"And keep up prayer and pay the poor-due (Zakat) and obey the Messenger, so that mercy may be shown to you." [Al-Quran 24:56]

"Truly he succeeds that purifies it (the soul), and he fails that corrupts it!" [Al-Quran 91:9-10]

"If you give alms openly, it is well, and if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is better for you; and this will do away with some of your evil deeds; and Allah is aware of what you do." [Al-Quran 2:271]

"But those will prosper who purify themselves." [Al-Quran 87:14]

2.0. What about the Zakat that I have not paid over the years?

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: My mother has died, and fasts of a month are due from her. Thereupon he said: Don 't you see that if debt was due from her, would you not pay it? She said: Yes (I would pay on her behalf). Thereupon he said: The debt of Allah deserves its payment more than (the payment of anyone else) (Muslim, Book 6, No. 2554).

Thus, scholars deduce from the above hadith that any missed Zakat must be paid immediately to the deserving.

Note: This certainly applies to a person who is still alive and has outstanding Zakat from precious years. In the case of a dead person, the inheritors are at discretion to pay of the deceased 's Zakat from their inherited portions. It is not obligatory.

3.0. Who is required to pay Zakat?

For people to pay Zakat they must meet the following criteria:

1. The person should be Muslim, adult, sane, free (not a slave).

2. They must posses a certain minimum amount of extra wealth (called nisab), fully owned by them in excess of personal use (such as clothing, food, shelter, household furniture, utensils, cars, etc).

3. They should have had this minimum amount in possession for a complete lunar year (hawl).

4. The wealth should be of a productive nature, from which they can derive profit or benefit such as merchandise for business, gold, silver, livestock, etc.

5. The minimum amount (or Nisab) should not be owed to someone, i.e., it should be free from debt.

8.1 What is the Principle of Joinder of Acquisition in the Same Class during the Lunar year?

The general principle is that one year must elapse over the Zakat-able property in order to render it liable to Zakat. This is subject to a qualification: where a person has Nisab of a particular class of Zakat-able property and during the course of the Zakat year acquires property of the same class from any source whatsoever, then the property so acquired is added to the existing Zakat-able property of the same class and Zakat is payable on the whole, or the remainder thereof, at the end of that Zakat year without calculating a separate Zakat year for each such separate acquisition.

For example, a person has cash of $5,000 and during the course of the Zakat year receives a further sum of $10,000 by way of a gift. He must pay Zakat on the sum of $15,000 at the end of that Zakat year and a new year would not be calculated in respect of the subsequent acquisition of $5,000.

Figure 1.1 : In this graph, the amount of wealth exceeds the nisab ($241) in Shawwal 1425. During the year it decreases but does not go below the nisab. In this case, Shawwal 1425 will be counted as the beginning of the relevant lunar year and Zakat will be due on the amount of wealth in Shawwal 1426, i.e. $18,000.

Figure 1.2 : In this graph, the amount of wealth exceeds the nisab in Rajab 1425. During the year, the amount decreases, then increases to $20,000, then decreases before increasing again to $15,000. Despite this fluctuation, the amount does not go below the nisab. Hence the relevant Zakat year will begin in Rajab 1425 and Zakat will be due on the amount of wealth in Rajab 1426, i.e. on $15,000.

Figure 1.3 : In this graph, in Ramadan 1425, the amount of wealth owned exceeds the nisab ($241 calculated according to the nisab of silver - see section 12.1 below). During the year it fluctuates - sometimes going below the nisab and other times going above. The person's relevant lunar year, however, only begins once the wealth goes above the nisab in the month of Safar, and remains above that for one complete year till Safar 1426. Hence Zakat will be due in Safar 1426 on the complete amount, i.e. $8,000.

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"The Most PROFITABLE Business INVESTMENT"

"The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear Hath a hundred grains. Allah giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things." (Al-Qur 'an, 2:261 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])

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