66 Hanbury Street, London E-1 5 JL Phone : london@quantummethod.org.bd

Transcription

1 Quantum Foundation Head Office 31/ V Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sarak, Shantinagar, Dhaka-1217, Bangladesh Phone : , , info@quantummethod.org.bd Quantum Meditation Society, LONDON 66 Hanbury Street, London E-1 5 JL Phone : london@quantummethod.org.bd

2 Those who believe and do good deeds, say their five daily prayers, and give Zakat, will be rewarded by Allah; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. - Baqarah: 277 O people! Worship Allah. Say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, give your wealth in Zakat, perform Hajj if you can afford to and follow your leader; only then you will you earn a place in heaven. - The Prophet (PBUH) in his Farewell Sermon Zakat: What and Why? Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and obligatory for all Muslims with financial means. Withholding Zakat intentionally means clearly violating the wishes of Allah and the Prophet (PBUH). The work 'Zakat' means both 'purification', and 'growth'. According to Islam, every Muslim possessing a specific amount of wealth (nisab) or more for a whole year must share a specific portion of it with designated groups of people, who are considered its rightful owner. Otherwise, his whole wealth would become 'haram' or unlawful. Zakat as a National and Social System: In the 2nd year of the Islamic Calendar Zakat became compulsory, and the Prophet (PBUH), as the Head of the State, introduced its practice. He specified the minimum amount of wealth one needed to possess for Zakat to be applicable and designated the groups of people to whom Zakat is to be given, thus firmly establishing Zakat as an economic system. The Prophet (PBUH) appointed Hazrat Mua'dh ibn Jabal to Yemen as its governor and said: "Tell them Allah has enjoined sadaqah and zakat upon their wealth and that it is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them. (Bukkhari, Muslim) Is Zakat Compulsory on You? 1. If you are an adult, sane Muslim and you have possessed more than 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver or an equivalent amount of money or wealth for a complete lunar year after fulfilling all your necessities, Zakat is compulsory for you. Based on the market value of silver in Bangladesh it is 74,000 taka this year. 2. You don't need to pay Zakat on objects in personal use, such as clothing, food, shelter, household and office furniture, utensils, cars, shops, factories and domestic animals. 3. Gold and silver, whether in the form of jewelry or otherwise, will always be subject to Zakat, regardless of whether they are for personal use or not, as long as they exceed the set (nisab) amount. In calculating Zakat, use the selling, not the buying price. 4. You need to pay Zakat on tradable objects and business merchandise, in other words anything you plan to sell and make a profit on. These may include poultry, cattle or fish grown in a farm or seedlings and plants grown in a nursery. The values of plotnvestment and any rent you get must also be included in Zakat calculations. 5. If you have taken loans for business purposes, for example, to pay for raw materials, or if there are rent, utilities, wage/salary etc. to be paid, you should deduct that amount from your Zakat calculations. 6. Include any amount of cash you hold--whether in a bank or personally in hand, whether in your native or foreign currency-- in your Zakat calculations as long as it exceeds the set (nisab) amount.

3 (Shami, decision made in the World Conference in Cairo in hijr 1385, Bayanat, Karachi) 7. When calculating Zakat consider anything containing more than 50% gold or silver as gold or silver items. For example, anything more than 12 karats gold will be Zakat-able. Calculate the Zakat based on the gold content in the jewelry (i.e. karats) and its value in the market. If you talk to a jeweler, he will help you calculate the value of the gold. (Durr e Mukhtar and Shami) 8. You must pay Zakat on money you have lent to others as long as your are fairly certain you will get it back : for example, if the person you have lent to admits to the debt and promises to give it back or if you have the necessary papers to claim it. (Shami) 9. You need to pay Zakat on your Provident Fund, but only when you receive the funds. (Imdadul Fawata, Volume 2, pg 645) 10. If you hold a share in a factory or company you need to pay Zakat on its value. However, if a part of it has been spent on equipments and machinery, that part will be exempt from Zakat. (Nizam e Zakat) 11. If the total value of Zakat-able items such as gold, silver ornaments, savings, company shares, foreign currencies, savings certificates, fixed deposits etc. is over the nisab (Zakat-able) amount, then you need to pay Zakat on it even if they are worth less than the nisab amount separately. 12. If the amount of agricultural products is more than 1,100 kilos, one-tenth of naturally produced crops and one-twentieth of artificially produced crops should be given as Zakat. If the crop is watered without much effort, such as by spring water or by rain, it is considered naturally produced. But if it is watered from wells or irrigation channels, or if animals or machinery are used, then it is considered artificially produced. 13. Include any money you have in fixed deposit in your Zakat calculations. 14. If your savings exceed your debts you should deduct the amount of debt from the savings and pay Zakat on the rest, as long as it exceeds the nisab (Zakat-able) amount. 15. If you have Zakat-able ornaments but not enough cash to pay the Zakat, you should pay the Zakat with a piece of jewelry or sell it and pay the cash. 16. You should include the money you have saved to perform Hajj and the money you have mentally pledged to give away as charity in your Zakat calculations. Allah says these are your debts to Him, and should not prevent you from paying Zakat. (Dub-6) 17. Bridal money given to the wife by the husband and money saved for Eid ul Azha sacrifice also needs to be included in the calculation. 18. It is not acceptable to consider income tax as Zakat, since the government does not consider it so and does not collect or utilize the money according to the rules of Zakat. 19. If you have taken a large loan to set up a business or an industry you still need to pay Zakat if you have Zakat-able objects worth the nisab amount in your possession. It does not matter even if the loan amount exceeds the total worth of all Zakat-able objects in your possession. You still need to pay the Zakat. If you are paying back the loan in installments, you can deduct the value of monthly installments when you are calculating the total value of Zakat-able objects. In order to be considered as Zakat, you have to donate with the specific intention of fulfilling Zakat. Otherwise, even if you give all your wealth to charity, it will be considered sadaqah, not Zakat. So take time to calculate the total value of your Zakat-able properties,

4 then give 2.5% of it as Zakat. How should Zakat be Spent? The Quran specifies 8 groups of people on whom Zakat can be spent. These are: The Poor (Fuqaraa): This group includes labors and wage workers, who, although physically and mentally capable of working, are now out of work, not because of lack of effort, but due to unfavorable circumstances. Homeless people and refugees may also be included in this group. The Needy (Masakeen): This group includes people who cannot work due to age, disease or any other disability, people who do not earn enough to meet their basic needs, and homeless children. Zakat Administrators (Aamileen): The salary and other benefits of the people who are appointed by the state to collect and spend Zakat are to be paid from the Zakat fund. People Who Have Recently Converted to Islam (Muallafatul Quloob): Zakat can be spent to help poor and needy people who have recently converted to Islam become self-reliant. People in Bondage (Ar Riqaab): Zakat may be used to free people in bondage. According to Allama Asad, a renowned interpreter of Quran, this does not only mean purchasing the freedom of slaves from their masters, but also includes helping people who are held captive by circumstance; for example, people living in remote and undeveloped areas. Those in Debt (Al Gharimeen): If someone has borrowed money to pay for his daily necessities and is now unable to pay it back, Zakat can be used to free him of his debt. Zakat may also be used to rehabilitate victims of fire, earthquake, flood and other natural calamities. For Allah's Cause (Fi Sabeelillah): Islamic jurists agree that Fi Sabeelillah can be interpreted as "any beneficial activity sanctioned by Allah, as well as spreading and establishing Islam."(Islamic Economics: Allama Mohammad Abdur Rahim, pg-277). Wayfarer (Ibnus Sabeel): A traveler who has become destitute while travelling. Frequently Asked Questions Q: Many people prefer to distribute money or clothes among poor relatives or poor people in general as Zakat. Is this the right way? a: The main aim of Zakat is to make people self reliant. So, you have to give Zakat in such a way that the person does not need to take Zakat the next year. We cannot alleviate poverty by giving clothes or money individually. Only if we spend Zakat collectively can we achieve this goal. Q: Should my relatives get priority in getting Zakat? a: You cannot give Zakat to parents or grandparents, or children or grandchildren. As for other relatives, the Quran encourages us to give sadaqah or charity to them, not Zakat. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "The best charity is the charity we give to our family and relatives."

5 Q: Can Zakat money be spent to help a father convey the costs of his daughter's wedding? a: If the person you give Zakat to falls within the 8 groups specified by the Quran, then there is no problem if he uses that money to convey the cost of his daughter's wedding. Q: Can we spend Zakat money for the construction of mosques? a: No, as it doesn't fall under the 8 categories specified in the Quran. Q: How should unemployed women pay Zakat? Do they need to take permission from their husbands to give Zakat on their jewelry? a: Giving Zakat on ornaments is compulsory if it exceeds the nisab (Zakat-able) amount. Women do not need to take permission from their husbands or anyone else to do so. If a woman does not earn any money or possess any cash, she may sell or give some of her jewelry if she needs to, but still make sure she pays Zakat. Q:Do I need to pay Zakat on money or objects I have received as gifts? a: When you receive a gift it becomes yours. So if the value of the money or objects you have received as gifts is equal to or more than the nisab (Zakat-able) amount, you have to pay Zakat on them. Q:Can we give Zakat to people of other religions or beliefs? Allah says we should spend Zakat on the poor (fuqaraa) and the needy (masakeen). He doesn't say Muslim poor or needy. During the era of Khulafa-e-Rashideen, the state ensured that the basic necessities of every citizen, regardless of his religion, caste or creed, were met. And the expense was made from the Baitul Mal where the Zakat money was stored. So, there is no problem in spending Zakat money to help the poor and the destitute, whatever their religion. Fulfill Your Zakat Obligations Collectively It is mandatory for every Muslim to give a share of his or her wealth as Zakat, but it is also very important to give and spend Zakat collectively. The system of Zakat was set up with the goal of poverty alleviation. If the Zakat paid by individuals is used collectively to promote selfreliance, it can help lift the poor out of poverty and revitalize the economy. In the early days of Islam Zakat was collected by the state and used for this purpose. The system was so successful that during the rule of Hazrat Uthman (R.A), there was no one left in the state to receive Zakat. Thus Zakat is meant to be administered by the state. If, for some reason, the state does not perform this responsibility, then ordinary people must get together for this purpose, because spending Zakat collectively is a must. Quantum Zakat Fund Quantum Zakat Fund was set up in 1996 with this purpose of lifting the poor and the needy out of poverty. The foundation makes sure that money from the Zakat Fund is spent in the way specified by the Quran, for material, moral and spiritual rehabilitation. The money submitted to the Zakat Fund is increasing every year. In 2011, the total Zakat money collected was 30 million 710 thousand taka

6 Zakat Calculation: A Sample Name of person giving Zakat Year 1. Personal Property Valuable jewelry: gold, silver etc. ( weight/price) = Money in bank accounts: fixed, savings, checking, DPS, special savings = Shares, savings certificates, bond, insurance, provident fund etc = Foreign currency: FC account, bond, traveler's checks, cash (converted into your own currency)...= Goods in stock...= Property deposited as collateral (that you will get back), advance...= Money given out in loans ( that you expect to get back)...= Cash in hand...= Others...= Total = Subtract: debts/loans...= Aggregate value of Zakat-able items...= 2. Business (Single Ownership) Value of finished products in stock...= Value of raw materials, works in progress, packaging goods in stock.. = Payments to be received, goods sold on credit...= Collaterals, advance payments...= Cash in bank (all sorts of deposits)...= Cash in hand...= Others...= Total...= Subtract: debt/loans...= Aggregate value of Zakat-able items...= 3. Business (Multiple Ownership/ Partnership) Value of finished products in stock...= Value raw materials, works in progress, packaging goods etc.in stock..= Payments to be received, goods sold on credit...= Collaterals, advance payments...= Cash in bank (all sorts of deposits)...= Cash in hand...= Others...= Total...= Subtract: debt/loans...= Aggregate value of Zakat-able items...= Value of your share:.% to total...= 4. Value of zakat-able items invested in business industry... = Total value of Zakat-able items ( )...= Zakat 2.5%...=

7 How Zakat is Spent ^wbf ivqb cökí Self Reliance Project Livestock Project As part of the self-reliance project funded by Quantum Zakat Fund, an environment-friendly 'Easy Bike' was bought for Salam Khan Babu. Babu is now self-reliant. Even after paying back loans and bearing the cost of his family, Babu had enough savings left to qualify as a Zakat giver. The Livestock Project is a successful attempt to alleviate poverty and promote self reliance. Its main objective is to help the deprived, the destitute and the debt-ridden become self-reliant. A calf is bought with funds from the Quantum Zakat Fund and given to the beneficiary. He then brings up the calf until it is ready to be sold. After he sells the cow he keeps half the To alleviate poverty and promote selfreliance, the Foundation has started the livestock project, which has helped more than two hundred and fifty families in Bardarban and Magura districts rise above poverty since profit himself and gives half to the Foundation. It the profit is more than 10,000 taka he keeps two-thirds of the profit and gives the rest to the Foundation. The Foundation then buys him one or more calves. Many families are starting to become self reliant through this path of work and selfdependence. Mother Care Program Shishu Shodon Since 2005, more than 250 expecting mothers in Chittagong have been provided nutrition, medical check-ups, medicine, and other care till up to 40 days after the delivery. The program has also been introduced in Rajshahi, Mirpur, Mymensingh, and Khulna. Self Reliance Project Quantum Shishu Shodon was established in Rajshahi in 2004 to bring up abandoned babies as enlightened human beings. Medical Care Abdul Barek, who had lost everything, including his home, to river erosion, was bought a tractor in Using it, he has not only been able to bear his day to days costs, but is also the proud owner of a cow worth 40 thousand taka, some land and enough money to build a home on it. Barek is now self-reliant. The deprived people of Lama and Rajbila in Bandarban and the students of UCEP in Mirpur, Dhaka are regularly provided medical care. June 2012 Quantum Foundation