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Zakah |
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The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. (March 2008) |
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This article or section is missing citations or needs footnotes. Using inline citations helps guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (August 2008) |
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Part of a series on the Islamic creed:  |
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| Five Pillars (Sunni) | |
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Shahādah - Profession of faith |
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| Six articles of belief (Sunni) | |
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Tawhīd - Oneness |
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| Principles of the Religion (Twelver) | |
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Tawhīd - Oneness |
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| Practices of the Religion (Twelver) | |
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Ṣalāt - Prayers |
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| Seven Pillars (Ismaili) | |
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Walāyah - Guardianship |
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| Others | |
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Kharijite Sixth Pillar of Islam. |
Zakāh "alms for the poor" (Arabic: زكاة IPA: [zækæːh] is the Islamic principle of giving a percentage of one's income to charity. It is often compared to the system of tithing and alms but unlike these older systems, it serves principally as the welfare contribution to poor and deprived people in the Muslim lands, although others may have a rightful share. It is the duty of the state not just to collect it; but to distribute it fairly as well.
Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
Believers are aware that by giving a fixed percentage of their surplus wealth, they are fulfilling the important religious obligation and that in the process they are purifying themselves from their greed and selfishness. In addition zakat purifies the person who receives it because it saves him from the humiliation of begging and prevents him from envying the rich. 1
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It is an obligation on Muslims to pay 1/40 (2.5%) of the wealth which they have had for a full lunar year,1/40 (2.5%) of goods used for trade, and 5% or 10% of certain type of harvests depending on irrigation. Exempt from Zakat are a person's house and personal transportation.
Zakat is not mandatory on harvest if the total did not reach the minimum limit of about 653 kilograms 2, nor on gold amounts if the owner has less than 85 grams or silver less than 595 grams3
In the Qur'an, God revealed the beneficiaries of zakat:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاء وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيم
"Alms are only for the poor and the needy, and the officials (appointed) over them, and those whose hearts are made to incline (to truth) and the (ransoming of) captives and those in debts and in the way of Allah and the wayfarer; an ordinance from Allah; and Allah is knowing, Wise." Qur'an 9:60
The people whose hearts are to be reconciled include (normally new Muslims or those close to becoming Muslim. Non Muslims cannot be included):
There have been cases where you can't pay zakat for
In all the four recognised madhhabs the fiqh of Zakat 4 is very much the same with the key elements that make Zakat compulsory for an individual being: Islam, Freedom, the Nisab, Ownership and a Year's Possession.
Therefore, it should not be looked at as being only an economic duty.
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