The word Zakah literarily means cleansing (Taharah), purification (Tazkiyyah), growth (Nama ) and blessing (Barakah).

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1 ZAKAT AND SADAQAT FOUNDATION Corporate Head Office Suite 10, Tafawa Balewa Square Shopping Complex, East Pavilion, Opposite High Court of Lagos, Lagos Island, Lagos State. Telephone: , , , Website: info@zakatandsadaqat.org.ng What is Zakah? Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam next in importance to Solat (daily prayers) after the Shahadah (declaration of faith). In fact, it is mentioned more than 28 times in the Qur an along with Solat (daily prayers); while Sawm (fasting during Ramadhan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) stands as the fourth and fifth pillars respectively. For instance, Allah says: Truly the reward of those who believe and do righteous deeds and establish Prayer and pay Zakah is with their Lord; they have no reason to entertain any fear or grief. Q2:277 The second Caliph, Umar bn al-khattab, said: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, Islam has been built upon five things on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; performing Salah(daily prayers); giving the Zakah; Hajj to the House; and Sawm (fasting during Ramadhan). (Bukhari & Muslim) The word Zakah literarily means cleansing (Taharah), purification (Tazkiyyah), growth (Nama ) and blessing (Barakah). Technically, it is the right on specific items of assets/property, in specific percentages with consideration of the passage of a lunar year and satisfaction of the condition of Nisab given to the right people. Consequently, Zulfiqar (2011) posits juristically that Zakah refers to the determined share of wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among deserving categories. It is the financial duty of a Muslim (Chapra, 2000) to pay out of his net worth or agricultural output, if these are higher than the threshold of Zakah, a specified portion as an indispensable part of his religious duties. Against this background, Allah instructs His Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) and subsequently, leaders of the Muslim Ummah to take Zakah from their wealth to purify and cleanse them and pray for them. Your prayers bring relief to them. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Q9:103 The Purpose of Zakah Islam discourages extreme income inequality and poverty because Excess of wealth may endanger the faith and morality of the Muslims, and on the other hand, poverty may drag them to disbelief. (Hadith of the Prophet) 1

2 Like other pillars of Islam, Zakah is primarily an act of worship. It requires Muslims to distribute portions of their wealth to the poor, destitute and the needy because...they have been commanded no more than this: to worship God, offering Him sincere devotion, being true in faith; to establish regular prayer; and give poor due... Q98:5 It is also a unique distributive mechanism of wealth. It ensures that wealth and property are not expropriated and controlled only by a few people because man Surely loves riches with a passionate loving. Q100:8 It is also a spiritual purifying process, which attempts to suppress man s unwanted desires and whims, thereby seeking to improve and enhance the human personality As for him who gave out his wealth (for Allah s sake) and abstained (from disobeying Him) and affirm the Truth of goodness: Allah says further We shall facilitate for him the Way to Bliss and the God-fearing shall be kept away from the Blazing Fire, the God-fearing who spends his wealth to purify himself; not as payment for any favours that he received, but only to seek the good pleasure of his Lord Most High.. Q92: 5-7; It is a means of attaining the mercy of Allah for those who pay it as at when due as enshrined in the Qur an where Allah says As for My Mercy, it encompasses everything. I will show Mercy to those who do right and pay Zakah, and have faith in Our Signs. Q7:156 The Role of Zakah in the Islamic Economic Order Zakah plays three major roles in the life of the Muslim Ummah. These are moral, social and economic roles. Moral role It instills moral qualities and uprightness in man and washes away the greed and acquisitiveness of the rich, thereby seeking to undermine the excessive and over-zealous wealth accumulative attitude of some elements of the society. Hence, Allah says: Rivalry in worldly increase distracts you until ye come to the graves. Nay, but ye will come to know! Nay, but ye will come to know! Q102:1-4 It encourages and also impresses a sense of moral responsibility on the rich to look after the poor and the less fortunate members of the society, thereby seeking to suppress wanton greed, miserliness and selfishness in order to create a society that is caring, loving, equitable and just. Social Role The primary objective of Zakah is to eradicate poverty the mother of all social problems, by ensuring that the rich live up to their social responsibility by distributing a portion of their wealth and fortune to the poor and the needy of the society at large. 2

3 The Prophet (pbuh) said: He is not a true Muslim who eats his full when his next door neighbour is hungry. (Al-Albani). He also said: Whoever wakes up in a day and does not feel concern for the affairs of his fellow Muslim brothers, is not (really) one of them. (Muslim) Economic Role It prevents the unpleasant accumulation of wealth in a few hands and allows it to be diffused before it assumes threatening proportions in the hands of its possessors. It seeks to establish a society in which wealth, goods and services are both equitably distributed and shared and Muslims care for one another, so that inequity and injustice is eliminated on the one hand while poverty and hunger are alleviated on the other. The Messenger of Allah said: The believers, in their affection, mercy and sympathy towards each other, are like the body if one of its organs suffers and complains, the entire body responds with sleeplessness and fever. (Bukhari) Who is Obliged to Pay Zakah Zakah is obligatory on one who is a Muslim, free-born, matured, owner and controller of his wealth and on the holdings of infants and the mentally handicapped Muslims among others. Conditions Governing Payment of Zakah 1. Making the niyyah (intention) to pay Zakah. Since the payment of Zakah is an act of worship, its validity depends on the expression of a person s intention do pay it for the sake of Allah. 2. Ikhlas (sincerity) is required for every action of a Muslim seeking the pleasure of Allah as his goal. 3. Possession of nisab (The nisab Zakah is known as the minimum portion of wealth on which alms is obligated upon. The nisab is actually a very low figure and only applies to certain forms of income that would have elapsed a lunar year (Haol) before Zakah can be paid on it. The current nisab Zakatul Mal according to Zakat & Sadaqat Foundation is N731, 000 (Seven hundred and thirty-one thousand naira only) and the rate of Zakah to be paid is 2.5%). 4. Income or wealth must be halal 5. Must be free from debts 6. The wealth must be zakatable and investable 7. Full control over the wealth 8. Must have attained a full lunar year 9. The wealth must be surplus from basic needs 3

4 Categories of wealth that Zakah is Due on Amounts and Rates Zakah Items Nisab (minimum possession) Rate of Zakah Gold, Silver or Ornaments Cash in hand, trading goods or liquid assets or 595gm of silver Same as above Same as above Agricultural produce 5 Wassaqs (1,200 mudds of grain) or 653kg per harvest based on 2/3 of the total yield on the day of harvest. 1/3 is for the farmer 5% on irrigated land 10% on non-irrigated land 7.5% on combined irrigation Product of mines Any amount 20% of the value Fruits Poultry farming, Snail rearing, Fishery and Rabbit keeping or 595gm of silver or 595gm of silver Honey, Groundnut oil, Palm oil Value up to 160 Litres or 653kg 1/10 on plain ground 1/20 on hill top or mountain Milk (No Zakah on the source of milk) Value up to 160 Litres or 653kg Cattle and Milk Land/landed property (No Zakah on residential building except commercial building Company, Transportation business or Artisans (Net profit of the company is recommended) The 2 nd opinion says if the gross assets less total liabilities formula is used Value is up to 85gm worth of gold 5% or 10% of the profit should be paid as Zakah 4

5 Zakah Items Nisab (minimum possession) Rate of Zakah Schools for business services (Waqful Ahali) Salary Earners (after deduction of personal needs), arrears, estercodes, bonuses and allowances Professional/ Consultancy fee Contracts (Zakah should be paid immediately after netting all expenses) Gifts (provided there is no debt on the beneficiary) Rental Business Shares (only the known dividends on the shares or shares value should be added But if not, the value should be added to other income for Zakah payment Livestock: Camels camels camels camels 1 sheep 2 sheep 3 sheep Cows cows cows cows 1 year old cow One 2 years old cow Two 1 year old cow Goats/Sheep None One Two 5

6 Beneficiaries of Zakah Islamic scholars unanimously concur that there are (8) specific beneficiaries of Zakah (Q9:60) as follows: 1. The poor 2. The needy 3. Those employed to administer (the funds) 4. Those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to truth) 5. Those in bondage 6. Those in debt 7. In the Cause of Allah 8. The wayfarer Consequences for not paying Zakah Zakah is a serious commandment from Allah that should not be handled with levity. To underscore this seriousness, Khalifah Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said on the occasion of the war of apostasy: By Allah, I shall fight those who differentiate between prayer and Zakah. Zakah is the right due on wealth. By Allah, if they refuse to give me one baby goat they used to give to the Messenger of Allah as Zakah, I shall fight them for it. Al-Bukhari It is a great sin in the sight of Allah for someone who is Zakatable but refuses to pay Zakah. A severe punishment awaits such a person on the Day of Judgment. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: If someone is given wealth by Allah but does not pay its Zakah, that wealth will appear to him on the Day of Judgment in the form of a huge bald serpent with two horns, encircling him and squeezing him all day, then holding him by the lips and telling him, I am your wealth, your treasure which you hoarded. Al-Bukhari. To accentuate this warning, the Messenger of Allah quoted the verse Those who are stingy with the bounty Allah has given should not suppose that that is better for them. No indeed, it is worse for them! What they were stingy with will be hung around their necks on the Day of Rising Q3:180. Allah also warns that: As for those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in the Way of Allah give them the news of a painful punishment, on the Day it is heated up in the fire of Hell and their foreheads, sides and backs are branded with it: This is what you hoarded for yourselves! So taste what you were hoarding! Q9: The consequences on this earthly world are also terrifying. The Messenger of Allah said: There are no people who do not pay Zakah who are left without being made to suffer by Allah through disasters, famine or drought. At-Tabarani, Al-Hakim and Al-Bayhaqi Another hadith says: Zakah is never intermingled with any amount of wealth without destroying and rotting it. Al-Bukhari, Al-Bazzar and Al-Bayhaqi 6

7 Benefits of paying Zakah 1. It cleanses off one s sins 2. It s a means of economic empowerment for the poor and needy 3. It s a means of keeping the family ties together 4. It increases and protects one s wealth 5. It spreads Allah s love 6. It s a relief mechanism for the poor and needy 7. It s a means of provision of social infrastructures 8. Protection against disasters 9. It sanitizes the Ummah from immoralities and vices 10. It facilitates Allah s mercies and divine assistance 11. It s a safety net from Hell-Fire 12. It facilitates smooth spread of Islam 13. It s a smooth path to Paradise 14. It purifies the soul and wealth of the payer Please pay your Zakat or Donate your Sadaqat to Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation GT Bank Plc, Onipanu Branch, Account No Access Bank Plc, Jibowu Branch, Account No