BY
ABD EL-RAZZAK NOFAL
ThisbookisthefirstinaseriesdesignedtostateasbrieflyaspossibletheessentialsofIslam.
Noquestionsofhistoryor philosophyhavebeenraisedor discussed.TheplaintruthsaboutIslamhavebeenstatedinaclear andconcisemanner.
ItishopedthatpeoplewithverylittleknowledgeofIslamwillfindinthisseriesadirectintrodutiontotheessentialsofIslam.ItwillhelpeventhosewhowanttobeinitiatedintothestudyofIslam.
SHAWKYSUKKARY
"ALZAKAT"THEPOORDUETheThirdPillar ofIslam
AlmightyAllahimposedZakzatonallMuslimsandgavethemordersregardsregardingitinmanyversesoftheQuran.For example
"Andbesteadfastinprayers,paytheZakat,andwhatever goodyousendforthbeforeyoufor your souls,youshallfinditwithGod,for Godseeswellwhatyoudo"
ThismentionofZakatintheQuranoccursinsome32verses.Inmostofthemitiscoupledwithprayers,andthisemphasisestheimportancewhichtheQuranplacesuponZakat.
GodhaspromisedallwhofulfillZakatgreatreward.Thisisillustratedinverseslike
"Andestablishregular prayersandpaytheZakatandloantoGodagoodlyloan.whatever goodyousendforthbeforeyoufor your souls,youshallfinditinGod'sPresence,better andgreater inreward."Whatbetter rewardistherethanGod'smercy?
Asfor thosewhorefrainfromcharityandwhodonotpractiseZakat,their punishmentwillbesevere
"AndwoetothosewhojoingodswithGod...whodonotpaytheZakatanddonotbelieveintheHereafter".Likewise:
"Woetotheworshipperswhoareneglectfuloftheir prayers,thosewhowouldbeseen(atworship),butabstainfromgoodworks".Andalso:
"Andthosewhohoardupgoldandsilver andspenditnotinthewayofGod,announceuntothemamostgrievouspenalty...OntheDaywhenitwill(all)beheatedinthefireofHell,andtheirforeheads,sidesandbackswillbebrandedtherewith(andtheywillbetold):Thisiswhatyouhoardedupfor yourselves;tasteofthatwhichyouhoarded."
Treasureheremeanswealthoutofwhichacertainamountisnotdedicatedfor charity(Zakat)evenifitisputawayandnotinvested.
Asfor thewealthuponwhichZakatispaiditisnotconsidered`treasure'evenifitis`putaway
"AndletnotthosewhocovetouslyhoardupthatwhichGodhasgiventhemofHisbountythinkthatitisbetter for themmayitwillbetheworsefor them.Thatwhichtheyhavehoardedavariciouslywillbeasacollar ontheir necksontheDayofJudgement".
Zakatisalsooftheconditionsfor theacceptanceoftherepentanceofpagans.Itisaconditionfor abstainingfromwagingwar onthem,astheQuranspecifies:
"Butwhenthesacredmonthshavepassed,thenfightandslaytheidolaterswhereyoufindthem,andseizethem,beleaguer them,andlieinwaitfor themineveryambush.Butiftheyrepent,andestablishregular prayersandpracticeZakatthenletthemgotheir way,for godisForgiving,Merciful".
SimilarlyZakatisalsoproofthatpaganshaveembracedIslam,andbrotherhoodtowardsthemisthedutyofallother Muslims,astheQuranicversestates
Butiftheyrepent,establishregular prayers,andpaytheZakattheyareyour brethreninfaith".
Muhammad(PrayersandGod'sPeacebeuponhim)advisedthepracticeofZakatinmanyofhissayings.For example,itisrelatedofhimthatheaddressedthepeoplesaying:
"Opeople,He(Gabriel)cametomefrommyLordwhilstIwasasleepandsaidtome:OMuhammad,thosewhopraybutdonotpracticeZakat,their prayersarenotacceptable,andthosewhopractiseZakatbutdonotpray,their Zakatisnotacceptable.HewhowitholdsZakatisontheDayOfJudgementequaltohewhohasnotpractisedit".
MuhammadalsomentionsZakatinoneofhissayingsasoneofthefivepillarsofIslam:"IslamisbuiltuponfivepillarstestimonyofbeliefinoneGodandMuhammadasHisprophet,prayers,Zakat,fastinginthemonthofRamadanandthePilgrimagetoMecca".
For thatreason,whenMuhammadsenthisenvoystopreachIslam,headvisedthemtocallpeopletoworshipGodandthentopayZakat,takingfromtherichtogivetothepoor.
HealsoadvisedMuazwhenhesenthimtoYemensaying
"YouaregoingtoapeoplewhohaveaScripture.SocallthemfirsttoworshipGod;andwhentheyhaveacknowledgedGodtellthemthatGodimposesZakatonthem,takenfromtherichandreturnedtothepoor.Iftheyobeyacceptitfromthem,andheedthepleaofthedowntrodden,for betweenitandGodthereisnobarrier.
He,whorefusestheobligationofZakatisanunbelieverwhomustrepentor bekilledliketheonewhoapostatizes.AbuBakr (theGraceofGodbeuponhim)killedthosewhoapostatizedwhentheyrefusedtopayZakatandsaid"ByGod,weretheytoholdbackaduewhichtheyusedtopaytotheMessenger ofGod,Iwouldwageholywar againstthem".Andheorderedwar tobewagedagainstthemsaying:"Ishallfightallthosewhomakeadistinctionbetweenprayer andZakat."
CLASSIFICATIONOFZAKAT
Zakatisdividedintotwomaincategories
1. ZakatofalFitr (i.e.thebreakingofthefastattheendofRamadan.ItisalsoreferredtoastheZakatofthebody.
2. Zakatofwealth.
ZakatofalFitr:
Muhammadorderedthatthiskindofcharityshouldbeobservedinthesameyear inwhichthefastingduringRamadanwasimposed.
Aday,or twodaysprecedingalFitr theProphetaddressedtheMuslimssaying:
"Givefor charity,beitcornor dates;giveaccordingtowhatyouare,freeor slave,youngor old."
ItisalsorelatedbyalBukhariandMuslimthattheProphet(Prayer andGod'sPeacebeuponhim)imposedthecharityofalFitr after Ramadan,ameasureofdatesor barleyonallMuslims,slaveor free,youngor old,maleor female.
THOSEWHOHAVETOPRACTISEZAKATALFITR
ZakatalFitr doesnotbecomenullifiedifoneisaMuslim,providedtheMuslimisfreeandpossessestheamountofZakatafter coveringtheexpensesoffoodfor himself,andthosewhomhefeedsfor adayandanight,together withtheexpenditurewhichheincursinrelationtowife,son,servantsandthosewhomhehastoprovidefor suchasparentsandothers.
Itsamount:
Theamountiseither ameasureofdates,or barley,or rice,or corn,or anythingelseediblethatcanbeusedfor food,fromeachindividual.
IfZakatistoconsistofwheatitishalfthatfor eachperson.AmanmustconsciouslyintendZakat,sincewithoutintentitisnotvalid.
ZakatincashvariesinestimationaccordingtothecurrentvalueofmoneyatthetimeofZakat.
TheHanafisectallowsthepersontopayincashfor Zakat,indeed,itconsidersthatthisispreferablebecauseitismoreusefultothepoor,sincetheyknowwhattheyneedmostitmightbefoodanditmightbemedicine.
ThetimetopractiseZakatalFitr:
AllthelearnedhaveagreedthatthetimetopractiseitistheendofRamadan.Theydisagreeuponthetimeofday,whether itistobesunsetonthedayprecedingalFitr or dawnonthedayofthefeast.
Onethingiscertain,andthatisalZakathastobefulfilledbeforegoingouttotheprayers.
IbnOmar said:"TheProphetorderedustofulfilZakatalFitr beforegoingouttoprayers'.
Itisalsopermittedtooffer itadayor twobeforethatdate:OthersevensaythatoneisallowedtodosofromthebeginningofRamadan.Itisdefinitelynotpermittedafter thedayofthefeast.ItisthennotZakatbutSadaqa(alms).
Itisrelated,throughIbnAbbas,thatProphetMuhammad(PrayersandGod'sPeacebeuponhim)orderedZakatalFitr aspurificationfor theonewhofastsfromvainthings,andasahelpandsustenancetothepoor.Hewhopractisesitbeforetheprayer,hisZakatisacceptable,butfor hewhofulfilsitafter theprayer itissimplySadaqa(almsgiving).
ZakatalFitr doesnotbecomenullifiedifoneislateinfulfillingititisstilladutyfor allMuslims.
Amanmustfulfilitsomehow,or elsehisaccountwillbesettledinrelationtoitonthedaywhennorepentanceisacceptedandnomoneyisavailable.
UseofZakatalFitr:
Ithasmanyusesandbenefitsfor thosewhofulfillitandfor societyasawhole.
Theonewhofulfillsitispurifiedthroughitfromthatwhichmighthavespoiledhisfasting,suchasvainactsor unseemlyspeechwhichheisrequiredtoabstainfrom,asheabstainsfromeatingor drinking,or lustsofthefleshandthereishardlyapersonwhoisnotopentothesesothatZakatisapurificationtothosewhofast.PerhapsthatiswhatismeantbythesayingofMuhammad:
"FastinginthemonthofRamadanliessuspendedbetweentheearthandHeaven.Itisonlyraised(toHeaven)byZakatofalFitr"
Itisalsoadutybindinguponeverysinglepersonfallingunder theguidanceofthefaster,youngor old,freeor slave.ItisthustheZakatofthebody,asitistheZakatofalFitr.Fromthisdeduction,comesthehopethattoGodAlmightyitisameansofpreservingthebodiesofallwhofulfillit,andofpurifyingandimprovingtheir bodiesThataswhatismeantbyHiswords
"Oftheir goodtakealms,sothatyoumaypurifyandimprovethemthereby".
Asfor benefitstosociety,weallrealisethatit(alZakat)providesfor thepoor inawaythatmakeshumilityunnecessaryonthatday.ThatisexplainedbytheProphet'ssaying
"Relievethemofthenecessityofgoingaround(lookingfor alms)onthisday."
Another benefittosocietyisthatall,poor andrichalike,feelthegeneraljoyofthatday.Itisnotfor therichonly.
Also,thepoor personwhoreceivesalmsfeelsrichonthatdaybyreceivingthem.He,therefore,seekswaysofpractisingcharityhimselfandthatdayhefeelsthathetooisagiver andtakesdelightingiving.
Hebecomesaccustomedtothefeeling,albeitrare,thatheisonetodogoodandnottohavegooddonetohim.Itscondition:
TofulfilthiskindofZakatapersonmustbe:
1)AMuslim,for Zakatisnotadutyfor thenonMuslim.
2)Free,for slavesarenotsupposedtopayit.
3)Tohavereachedmajority.Itisnotbindingupontheminor ;itisbindinguponhiswealthanditisthedutyofhisguardiantoextractitfromhis(theminor's)wealth.
4)Sane,for Zakatisnotadutyfor theinsane.Itis,nevertheless,thedutyofhisguardiantoproduceitfromtheperson'swealth.Itisthusenforceableuponthewealthoftheinsane.
5)Hemusthavethetotal(intermsofwealth)whichentailspaymentofZakat.
6)Thistotalshouldhavebeenhisfor specifiedtimeinorder tojustifyZakati.e.for oneyear or 12lunar months.
Thisdoesnotapplytoproduceor fruitsoftheland.ThetimetofulfilltheZakatontheseisthetimeofharvesting,whenthefruitsandproducearefullyripe.ThisisspecifiedintheQuran:
"Eatoftheir fruitintheirseason,butrender thedues!thatareproper onthedaythattheharvestisgathered".
KINDSOFWEALTHONWHICHAIZAKATISLEVIED
Livestock,suchascamels,cows,buffaloes,sheepandgoats.Other kindsoflivestockarenoteligiblefor Zakatunlesstheyareusedasmerchandise;thentheZakatfor tradeapplies.
Zakatisimposedontheaboveanimalsonconditionthattheygrazethecommonpasture.Theyareconsideredinexpensiveandalsouseful,for theybreed,their fleshisedibleandtheir milkisdrunk.Theydonotcostthepersonwhoownsthemmuch.
Ontheother hand,iftheanimalisstallbredthennoZakatisduebecauseoftheexpenseandeffortinvolvedinfeedingit.Butinthecaseoftheworkinganimal,sinceitproducesbyitsworkinploughingor irrigation,thenZakatisdueitisasifZakatonagriculturalproduceweretoincludeworkinganimals.
ZakatofCamels:
Thisappliesinexcessoffivecamels.Ifapersonownsthatnumber,heshouldpayZakatattherateofasheepfor thefivecamels,andsofor eachfiveuptoatotalof25camels,for whichhemustgiveayear oldshecamelwithZakat.
Ifheowns36,heshouldincludeatwoyear ol