• Alukah English HomepageSitemapRSS
  • Alukah English Homepage
  • Alukah Guestbook
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Make us your Homepage
  • Contact Us
Alukah in Arabic
Alukah is a rich, cultural website supervised by Dr. Khaled El-Jeraissy and Dr. Saad El-Hmed
 
Website of Dr. Sadd Bin Abdullah El-Hmed  Supervised By 
  • Homepage
  • Islamic Shariah
  • Thoughts and Knowledge
  • Society and Reform
  • Counsels
  • Muslims around the World
  • Library
 All Sections | Special File on Hajj   Belief   Quranic Sciences   Islamic jurisprudence   Hadith Sciences   Morals and Advocacy  
  •  
    Ramadan Intensive training process!!
    Prof . Zaid Mohammed Al-Rommany
  •  
    My young brother which of the people are you?
    Prof . Zaid Mohammed Al-Rommany
  •  
    What is Islam?
    Maysun Sami Ahmed
  •  
    Honored and humiliated people on the Day of Judgment (3)
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    Honored and humiliated people on the Day of Judgment (2)
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    Honored and humiliated people on the Day of Judgment (1)
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    The Wind
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    The month of good deeds has come
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    The Hadith of Dream
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    The Addiction of Sins
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    The seven of Al-Mathani and the Great Qur’an (The seven ...
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    Ten nights of Hajj
    Prof . Zaid Mohammed Al-Rommany
  •  
    Some Lessons of Ramadan
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    Hajj gains
    Prof . Zaid Mohammed Al-Rommany
  •  
    Islamic rulings on dress
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
  •  
    Increment in faith
    Hosam Ibn `Abdul-`Aziz Al Jibrin
Home / Islamic Shariah / Islamic jurisprudence

The Islamic System of Zakat (1/2)

Sayed Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi
Source: The Economic Order in Islam

Published On: 15/7/2015 A.D. - 28/9/1436 H.   Visited: 6933 times     



Print Friendly Version Send to your friend Visitors CommentsPost a CommentFollow Comments



Full Text Increase Font SizeReset Font SizeDecrease Font Size
Share it



In this context the following few points which are the characteristics of the Zakat system are remarkable:

1.  A lowest possible level of the surplus wealth was fixed. (Which is: two hundred Dirhems or seven and a half tolas of gold or fifty two and a half tolas of silver i.e. fifty two and a half rupees over which an entire year has lapsed). In this way, a large portion of the wealth of the community is made use for the benefit of the poor; and very little of personal wealth is left out of this collective collaboration.

2. The amount of Zakat levied on this wealth is kept very little which is by all means quite bearable by the owners of the wealth. That is: the fortieth portion (2.5 %)

3. The circumference of the needy is kept very vast and their prominent categories and classes are made specific. And those are the ones who exist in every society and civilization. That is the poor and the  pauper, those under debt,  slaves, wayfarers, and those who are from the administrative or missionary angle necessary to be included among the beneficiaries, that is the ones employed for the collection of Zakat (‘the agents employed therein’) and ‘those whose hearts are conciliated’. And then this circle is further broadened and generalized by the addition of ‘in the way of Allah’.[1]

4. No condition is imposed on these needy ones   except   their   being   Muslims   and   being needy.[2]  That  is  neither  the  condition  that  they must pay some fee to receive the Zakat nor the condition that some of their money must be deposited in advance with the Baitul-Mal (the state exchequer) nor that they will have to repay this subsidiary amount together with some addition to it or only the capital without any addition.[3] It is, instead, their right and it is the duty of the head of the state and the Islamic collectivity to pay them their due. If they committed dereliction in it or misappropriated the amount they would be sinners and usurpers.

5. Having given the Zakat amount to its beneficiaries, every kind of ownership-related connection   of   Zakat-givers   with   that   amount would get severed. There will be neither theirs’ nor of those managing it (the state and the Baitul-mal) any rights and reservations tagged to it. Nor would for them be kosher, as is the case with usurious loan, to take any sort of advantage out of it. So much so that it is not correct even to give it to some such person by giving whom it might ultimately come into his own use; such as: mother, father, sons/daughters, and spouse. The Zakat recipient would remain as free as he had been before receiving it. For him to repay it or compensate it in any form and in any way is not necessary at all --- contrary to usury wherein the recipient gets enmeshed for a long while (and sometimes for all times to come) in its snare.

6. Zakat is one of those kinds of wealth which have viability and capability of growth like the hard cash, gold and silver, the merchandise, crops and cattle. For, these are the items which can compensate for this deduction that takes place every year. For, they are viable and keep growing. As regards to items of daily use and necessity, such as: wearing apparels, kitchen utensils, residential houses, riding cattle and the household goods, etc. are exempt from Zakat.

Likewise, the time for Zakat falling due for payment is fixed at the end of the year. The one year long period is long enough span to have it utilized. Moreover, during this period the effect and impact of fluctuations in rates and prices, vagaries of weathers and various seasons and harvests also becomes evident.

7. The Zakat system is essentially a collective one. That is to say that should there not be any particular hindrance, it is required to be collected, collectively, under the management of the Islamic state and be distributed as well collectively by it. In this way no particular individual gets personally indebted to any other particular individual. Nor is it necessary to make it known to everyone that so-&-so has been given the Zakat. In this way many a white-collared, self-respecting people who do not like to make their wants and that they are among the recipients of Zakat known to others can get due financial aid under a common and collective scheme.

8. Living under the umbrella of such an Order, even an unadventurous Muslim    has this satisfaction during his life-time that in case he suddenly dies or for any other reason could not leave behind for his children any wealth, they would not, thanks to the Zakat system, have to live unfed and unclad. Because of that he does not remain ever so haunted with the fear of death. Undaunted and fearless, he can take part in such religious and social activities as involve the risk of life. He undertakes to perform Jehad, migration, Haj-pilgrimage  and  other  journeys  with a contented heart and assurance that there lies at the back  of him a  treasure which is  not anybody’s personal and does not  belong to  any  individual which would take care, when he is no more there, of  his  feeble  and  orphaned  children  and  his helpless and hapless wife (widow). Similarly, he has this assurance that in case he is run out, while on journey, of his provisions and/or he becomes a victim of some accident, he has everywhere, as it were, an amount of money kept preserved for him and he can easily get back home.

9. Banu-Hashim cannot be given Zakat. And thus the door to emergence of a class of dynastic and lineal hangers-on among the Muslims is closed for ever. And the door to bringing relief to others, the common beneficiaries of Zakat, who would have otherwise, owing to the blue-blood of Banu-Hashim, been virtually deprived, is kept ajar forever.[4]

 

(Continued)



[1] See for the details and enunciations of avenues of Zakat as well as differences in opinions of the Fuqahaa ‘Ahkamul Qur’an’ by Al-Jassas and ‘Tafseer Ahkamul Qur’an’ by Al-Qartabi.

[2] According to Imam Abu haneefa everyone who himself is not owner of the Nisab (lowest ceiling of wealth necessary for imposition of Zakat obligation) can be entitled to Zakat amount.

[3] As is the rule followed by the cooperative societies and banks.

[4] Like it happened among the Hindus and the Jews that because of Brahmins among Hindus and children of Judah among the Jews, the door to alms and charities for the general public has almost been closed.



Print Friendly Version Send to your friend Visitors CommentsPost a CommentFollow Comments



Selected From Alukah.net

  • The Islamic System of Zakat (2/2)(Article - Islamic Shariah)
  • National Islamic Studies System Needs Clearer Policy(Article - Muslims Around the World)
  • Islamic Sharia Law Effectively Enshrined In UK Legal System with New Will Guidance(Article - Muslims Around the World)
  • Economics functions within the knowledge system(Article - Thoughts and Knowledge)
  • The family system in Islam(Article - Islamic Shariah)
  • His dealing peace be upon him with crises Fraternity system as a model(Article - Islamic Shariah)
  • Researchers Discover Fasting Is The Key To The Renewal Of The Immune System(Article - Muslims Around the World)
  • The Moral System Of Islam(Book - Islamic Shariah)
  • The Moral System of Islam (Part2)(Article - Islamic Shariah)
  • The Moral System of Islam (Part 1)(Article - Islamic Shariah)

 


Add your comment:
Name  
Email (Will not be shown to visitors)
Country
Comment Title
Comment

Please write: COMMENT in this box to verify that you are human

Enter the above code here:
Can't read? Try different words.
Our Authors
  • Those who disobey God and follow their sinful lusts..
  • One can attain real happiness
  • Islam clearly reveals to us more details about the one true ...
  • Allah the one true God is Creator, not created
  • Allah is only one, he has no children, partners or equals
  • Allah is eternal, he does not die or change
  • Islam leads to ultimate truth and success
  • Try to find out the truth abut Islam
Participate
Contribute
Spread the word
Tell a friend
All Rights Reserved © 1444H / 2023 to Alukah.Net
Site was last updated on : 17/11/1444H - at: 11:58