THE IMPORTANCE OF ZAKAH

Whilst Zakah is one of the primary tools to help alleviate and ultimately eradicate poverty, it should not be disconnected from the spirit of God-consciousness and devotion, cleansing the heart of conceit, ÃiwŘiÃÃ] >˜` …œ>À`ˆ˜}° º/>Ži >“à œv ̅iˆÀ wealth, wherewith you may cleanse them thereby and cause them to grow in purity…” (Qur’an ™\£äή° Ì ˆÃ Ài>Ìi` LÞ >âÀ>Ì L˜ ƂLL>à ,Ƃ® ̅>Ì Ì…i *Àœ«…iÌ -Ƃ7® Ã>ˆ`] ºƂ>… …>à ˜œÌ i˜œˆ˜i` Zakah upon you but for the reason that the rest of ޜÕÀ Üi>Ì… ˆÃ Vi>˜Ãi` ̅ÀœÕ}… ˆÌ°»

Zakah reminds Muslims that whatever they «œÃÃiÃà Liœ˜}à ̜ Ƃ>… >˜` ˆÃ >˜ >“>˜>… ÌÀÕÃÌ®° ºƂ>… …>à «ÕÀV…>Ãi` vÀœ“ ̅i LiˆiÛiÀà ̅iˆÀ ˆvi and their wealth, and the Gardens will be theirs in ÀiÌÕÀ˜°» +ÕÀ½>˜ ™\£££®°

Ûi˜ ̅œÕ}… â>Ž>… Ü>à œ˜Þ iÃÌ>LˆÃ…i`

ˆ˜ ̅i Ә` Þi>À œv ˆÀ>…] >˜` Ü>à ÃÕVViÃÃvՏÞ implemented during the time of the Prophet -Ƃ7®] «œÛiÀÌÞ Ü>à iÀ>`ˆV>Ìi` LÞ Ì…i ̈“i œv ̅i V>ˆ«… "“>À ,Ƃ®° ƂÌ Ì…>Ì Ìˆ“i] <>Ž>… Ü>à “œÃÌÞ iۈi` œ˜ >}ÀˆVՏÌÕÀi >˜` ˆÛiÃ̜VŽ° >˜` Ü>à œv ˜œ Li˜iwÌ ˆv ˜œÌ Ṏˆâi` vœÀ >}ÀˆVՏÌÕÀ> «ÕÀ«œÃià >˜` property was inexpensive due to the nature of the LՈ`ˆ˜}ð

Zakah is an ordained institution with the ultimate purpose of maintaining economic and social balance within societies through: Redistribution of wealth - meaning that wealth does not stay in the hands of the rich and is repatriated to the poor

Social solidarity and takaful (mutual responsibility)

Sharing societal resources Poverty alleviation

Ûi˜ ̅œÕ}… â>Ž>… >ÃÈÃÌà ̅œÃi ˆ˜ ˜ii` ܈̅ w˜>˜Vˆ> Àiˆiv] Üi ˜ii` ̜ Ài“>ˆ˜ Vœ}˜ˆÃ>˜Ì that the overall well-being of individuals, both spiritually and morally, are as important to ensure ̅ÀˆÛˆ˜} Vœ““Õ˜ˆÌˆið

Zakah is a social net to uplift individuals and entire communities and to create opportunities for those who may not have had any and is ̅Õà «>ÀÌ œv ̅i >À}iÀ ÜVˆœ‡w˜>˜Vˆ> ÃÞÃÌi“ œv Ï>“° "˜i œv «Àˆ˜Vˆ«ià œv â>Ž>… ˆÃ ˜œÌ ÕÃÌ Ìœ provide immediate relief but to ensure long term ÃÕÃÌ>ˆ˜>LˆˆÌÞ >˜` Å>Ài` «ÀœÃ«iÀˆÌÞ° /…ÕÃ] ̅iÀi ˆÃ a need for a paradigm shift of how we understand ̅i ˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜ œv â>Ž>…°

"˜i œv ̅i Տ̈“>Ìi “>µ>È` œLiV̈Ûiî œv â>Ž>… ˆÃ ̜ Õ«ˆvÌ Ì…i Li˜iwVˆ>ÀÞ vÀœ“ …ˆÃ VÕÀÀi˜Ì condition to that which will allow him to become Ãiv‡ÃÕvwVˆi˜Ì° /…ÕÃ] ˆÌ ˆÃ ˆ“«œÀÌ>˜Ì ̅>Ì ˆv Üi Ü>˜Ì to change the condition of people, we must see â>Ž>… >à > `iÛiœ«“i˜Ì> œÀ ÌÀ>˜ÃvœÀ“>̈œ˜> ̜œ°

/…i “>µ>È` œv â>Ž>… >Ài ܓï“ià “ˆÃ՘`iÀÃ̜œ` >˜` ˆ˜VœÀÀiVÌÞ >««ˆi`° Collections are not targeted and the distributions >Ài …>«…>â>À` >˜` ˜œÌ “i̅œ`ˆV>Þ ̅œÕ}…Ì ̅ÀœÕ}…°

˜`ˆÛˆ`Õ>Ã œÀ œÀ}>˜ˆâ>̈œ˜Ã ܅œ …>Ûi Ì>Ži˜ the responsibility of collecting and distributing â>Ž>… “ÕÃÌ i`ÕV>Ìi ̅i“ÃiÛià œ˜ > ̅i `ˆ“i˜Ãˆœ˜Ã œv â>Ž>… ̜ i˜ÃÕÀi «Àœ«iÀ `ˆÃÌÀˆLṎœ˜ ̅iÀiœv°

/…i «œÜiÀvՏ ˆ˜Ã̈ÌṎœ˜ œv â>Ž>… œÀ`>ˆ˜i` LÞ Ì…i >Ü ˆÛiÀ] Ƃ>… œÃÌ À>VˆœÕÃ] œÃÌ iÀVˆvՏ] cannot be reduced to a tax or perpetuating hand out (toxic charity) thereby keeping the poor ever ˆ˜ ˜ii`°

Zakah is based on the teachings of the Qur’an >˜` ̅i ÌÀ>`ˆÌˆœ˜Ã œv ̅i *Àœ«…iÌ -Ƃ7®° /…i teachings of the various thought leaders of Fiqh ÕÀˆÃ«ÀÕ`i˜Vi® }Ո`i œÕÀ >««ˆV>̈œ˜ œ˜ “>˜Þ Vœ˜Ìi“«œÀ>ÀÞ ˆÃÃÕià v>Vi` œ˜ ̅i ̜«ˆV œv â>Ž>…°

œÀ â>Ž>… ̜ Li `Õi œ˜ œ˜i½Ã …>> Üi>Ì…] one has to possess the minimum threshold of net surplus wealth (assets less liabilities), called nisaab, which needs to be held for 12 lunar months (haul) LivœÀi >˜Þ â>Ž>… ˆÃ `Õi œ˜ ˆÌ° ˜ >``ˆÌˆœ˜] â>Ž>… is only due on this wealth if it is owned by you absolutely and if it has an element of growth œÀ «œÌi˜Ìˆ> œv }ÀœÜ̅ ˆ˜Ži` ̜ ˆÌ° Ƃ ̅iÃi Vœ˜`ˆÌˆœ˜Ã “ÕÃÌ Li «ÀiÃi˜Ì LivœÀi >˜Þ â>Ž>… ˆÃ `Õi°

Zakah is a global system and can be linked to a number of the Sustainable Development

œ>Ã] vœÀ iÝ>“«i] ˜œ «œÛiÀÌÞ - £®] âiÀœ hunger (SDG 2), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) >˜` œÌ…iÀð <>Ž>…] ̅iÀivœÀi] «>Þà >˜ ˆ“«œÀÌ>˜Ì role in contributing to the economic and human `iÛiœ«“i˜Ì œv ̅i «œœÀ >VÀœÃà ̅i }œLi°