Zakaat aims to curb penury

Zakaat aims to curb penury

BY MJ MOHAMMED IQBAL

Self discipline and self control are key notes to all who are observing the days of Ramadan. They are spiritually enlightened, understand the poverty, sufferings of poor, distressed and needy fellowmen, and their minds are motivated to help them.

One of the important forms of worship in Islam is Zakaat, and Almighty placed Zakaat next to prayer. Allah says in many places repeatedly in Holy Quran: "Keep up prayer and pay Zakaat." Zakaat means purification. It was made compulsory on the first Ramadan in second year of Hijra.

Zakaat is the purification of impurities. The great Islamic scholar who contributed more on Islamic thoughts and Prophet's (PBUH) sunnah, Imam Ghazzali said: "There are three reasons for its being a pillar of Islam. The first reason is to appreciate the oneness of God. The next is to be pure from miserliness. And the third is to express gratefulness for the gifts of God, as God's gifts on His servants are unbounded.

Zazarath Abu Zarr, one of the companions of Holy Prophet (PBUH), said: "I came to Holy Prophet (PBUH) who was seated in the shade of Ka'ba. He said to me, by the lord of the Ka'ba, they are undone. I asked, Who are they?" Prophet (PBUH) replied: Those who increase their wealth and not those who spend in His way. Those who have got camels, cattle, sheep and goats and who don't pay their Zakaat will meet these animals in huge forms on the resurrection day. They will attack them with their horns and will tread upon them by their hoofs. If one party finishes and other party will come. This will continue till the people are brought for judgement."

Hence Islam stresses on real sprit of religion by total submission to God and Holy Prophet's (PBUH) teachings guide us that faith and services are two of important foundations of Islam. Scholars say the best manifestation of faith is prayers and services to the orphans, poor and needy. Also western scholars say that no religion of the world prior to Islam had consecrated charity, the support of widow, the orphans and the helpless, needy poor by implementing its principles.

By the laws of Islam, every individual who is wealthy is bound to contribute a certain part of his wealth towards the help and assistance of the poor neighbours and needy. The amount is one part of forty i.e. 2.5 per cent (Two and a half per cent) on the value of all goods, chattels, emblements, on profits of trade, mercantile business, etc. Also one should note that alms are due only when the property amounts to a certain value and has been in the possession of a person for one whole year nor are any due from cattle employed in agriculture or in the carrying of burdens. The second name for Zakaat is "Sadaqah" which means free will offering which is considered all kinds of bodily and monetary assistance and acts of piety. Zakaat is monetary assistance which is rendered obligatory by a Muslim who posses fixed amount of wealth.

Islam wants sincerity in the deeds of devotion and charity etc. Holy Prophet (PBUH) said even courtesy is a charity and in this kind of charity poor and needy can also participate and in simple words it is nothing but sympathy and fellow feeling. On the authority of A'isha (Allah and His Prophet be pleased Her) who said : That the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Every human being of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints; so he who declares the Glory of Allah, and removes a stone, or thorn, or bone from the people's path, or enjoins what is good and forbids from evil, to the number of those three hundred and sixty shall walk that day having removed himself from Hell.

On the authority of Abu Huraira that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said : Seven are (the persons) whom Allah would give protection with his shade on the Day, when there would be no shade but that of him (i.e. On the Day of Judgement, and they are): The just leader, a youth who grew up with the worship of Allah, a man whose heart is attached to the mosques, two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Almighty, a man whom a beautiful woman of high rank seduces him (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this often by saying): "I fear Allah", a man who gives charity and conceals it that the right hand does not know what the left has given, and man who remembered Allah in privacy and his eyes shed tears.

One should observe, that Charity will never decrease the wealth rather it will increase one's wealth and protect one from troubles. But many who are attached to the world are not thinking about their wealth genuinely and just ignoring the poor.

Holy Qur'an says: "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East and the West; but righteous is he who believe in Allah and the last day and the angles and the scripture and the Prophets; and given his wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observe proper worship and pay the poor-due.

And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the God-fearing." [2:177]. Holy Prophet(PBUH) said obeying miserliness, following low desires, and self-conceit are the three destructive guilts.

Modern financial consultants and economists wonder how professionally and neatly did the Holy Prophet (PBUH) evaluate the scheme of zakaat 1400 years ago; it is a scheme of social justice which can be beneficial for the poor and needy people of society. Experts say the zakaat, if properly exercised, and implemented, it would eliminate poverty and enhance prosperousness in the modern world.

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