FAQs

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What is the purpose of Zakat?

Islam primarily describes a state of subservience, along with a core set of beliefs and instituted acts. The Prophet (may Allah’s salutations and peace be upon him) stated that Islam, that is the same state of subservience, is built on five distinctive acts: Testifying that there is no god...

How to calculate the Zakat within the couple?

Here are some elements to take into account: When it comes to calculating and paying Zakat within the couple, it is not always easy to distinguish who owns what. To make the calculation easier, here are some guidelines: First of all, it is important to know that zakat is...

Which asset is Zakatable?

An asset must fulfil the following criteria to qualify as a Zakatable asset: 1) Complete ownership of the asset 2) The asset is productive (intrinsically or extrinsically) 3) The wealth is equivalent to Nisab or more 4) A whole lunar year passes after possessing Nisab...

What are the benefits of paying Zakat which are mentioned in the Qur’an?

Paying Zakat has been associated to several physical and metaphysical benefits in the Quran. Some of them are as follows: 1) The means to attain Allah’s mercy “My Mercy extends to all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who have God-consciousness and give their Zakat and those...

Are there any worldly harms mentioned for not paying Zakat?

Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) said: “No people refuse to pay the Zakat of their wealth, except they will be denied of receiving rain drops from the sky. Had there not been for the animals, they would never receive rain.” (Sunan Ibn Majah) This Hadith indicates...

Is Zakat obligatory on someone who lacks mental capacity?

According to all jurists, a sane person qualifies to pay Zakat if other conditions are found. A sane person is one who has mental capacity. According to the Hanafi school, Zakat is not obligatory on an individual who lacks mental capacity. According to the majority of scholars, Zakat is obligatory...

Is Zakat obligatory on children?

According to the Hanafi school, Zakat is not obligatory on children who are not mature. According to the Maliki, Shafi’I and Hanbali schools, Zakat is obligatory on the wealth of children.

Who is liable to pay Zakat?

Whoever has the following three characteristics qualifies to pay Zakat : 1) Adolescent 2) Muslim 3) Sane Adolescence (have reached the age of puberty) In Islam, mature individuals are obliged to perform the compulsory forms of worship such as Ṣalāt, Zakat, Fasting and Ḥajj. Islam considers adolescents as mature. A...

When is Zakat obligatory to pay?

Just like Salat, Fasting and Hajj have conditions before they become obligatory, Zakat also has conditions before it becomes compulsory. Zakat is only obligatory when certain conditions are met. There are two sets of conditions: 1) conditions relating to wealth 2) conditions relating to the Zakat payer...

What is Zakat?

Zakat literally means blessing, growth, cleanliness and betterment .The word Zakat originates from the Arabic verb zaka, meaning to grow, to increase and to purify. When said about a person, it means to improve or to become better. In Islamic law, the word Zakat refers to the determined share of...

How many times is Zakat mentioned in the Qur’an?

The word Zakat is mentioned thirty-two times in the Quran; Thirty from the thirty-two are in the technical meaning of Zakat whilst two are in the linguistic meaning of Zakat. The two places are: 1) Sūrah al-Kahf (The Chapter of The Cave), verse 81 2) Sūrah Maryam (The Chapter of...

What does the word ‘Zakat’ mean?

The word Zakat originates from the Arabic verb zaka, meaning to grow, to increase and to purify. When said about a person, it means to improve or to become better. In Islamic law, the word Zakat refers to the determined share of wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among...