"My mercy encompasses all
things, but I will specify it for the
righteous who give Zakat" (7:156)
Zakat (Obligatory Charity) is one of the major
5 duties required by God from all the submitters
(Muslims in Arabic). The others
being the Shahada (declaration of faith),
Salat (contact prayers), Fasting the month of Ramadan and
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca).
The Quran confirms that all our rituals were given to Abraham , who
is called the father of Islam (Submission), see 22:78.
[22:78]"You shall strive for the cause of GOD
as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship
on you in practicing your religion - the religion of your father Abraham.
He is the one who named you "Submitters" originally.
.........."
"Abraham was neither Jewish , nor Christian;
he was a monotheist; a Muslim; he never was an idol-worshiper. The people
most worthy of following Abraham are those who follow him and this prophet
(Muhammad), and those who believed. God is the Lord of the believers." [3:67-68]
"Then we inspired you (O Muhammad) to follow
the religion of Abraham, monotheism; never was he an idol-worshiper." [16:123
]
The same Salat and Zakat that was decreed on us was
taught to all those before us .
"Then David rose from the ground , WASHED (wudu) and anointed himself, and
put on fresh clothes, he entered the house of the Lord and prostrated (Sujood)
himself there" (The Bible, 2 Samuel 12:20)
The vital importance of Zakat is reflected in God's law:
"My mercy encompasses all things, but I will specify
it for the righteous who give Zakat" (7:156)
Zakat must be given away "on the day of harvest"
[6:141] " ……….. give the due alms
(Zakat) on the day of harvest, and do not waste anything. He does not love
the wasters."
The wisdom behind the Quranic law that Zakat is paid as soon as the money
is earned , is in total agreement with modern economic and monetary laws
, which state that the circulation of money is a vital factor for the prosperity
of any economy when the money is paid as soon as it is earned there is more
circulation, than if it is stacked away and paid after the end of the year.
Besides , if the money is going to a good cause , why make the recipients
who are in great need , have to wait till the end of the year ??.
Yet, the corrupted Muslims have lost this most important commandment; they
give Zakat only once a year. We see here that Zakat must be given away "on
the day we receive income."
Moreover, they have invented additional Zakat that is not sanctioned by God
(like Zakat Al –fitr ….etc. ) They made it obligatory when God
only spoke of ONE Zakat on any income .
Whenever we receive "net income," the "known amount" of Zakat should be paid
or set aside. (see 70:24) This known amount as God calls it, is 2.5%. This
is the ONLY "known amount" to the submitters (Muslims). This amount, 2.5%
was passed down to us, generation after generation, like Salat, from the
time of Abraham to our time. We must set aside 2.5% and give it to the specified
recipients - the parents, relatives, orphans, the poor, and the traveling
alien, in this order (2:215).
Obviously , the Quran encourages us to give to Charity as much as we are
able, so if you want to pay more than 2.5% there is no harm , and you
will get extra reward But to make a Zakat , like Zakat at Eid a law when
God has not authorized it , is to follow a law other than the law of God.
This constitutes an act of idolatry .
As you see the Quran defines FIVE recipients of Zakat , 2:215, but
as usual the corrupters of this great religion have made different
rules and recipients that add more groups to what God has taught
us in the Quran.
Zakat must be carefully calculated and given away on a regular basis whenever
we receive any income. Government taxes should be deducted, but not other
expenses such as debts, mortgages, and living expenses.
According to the Quran, we are to pay Zakat based on our income not
on the number of family members as advocated by those who lost the Quran.
Here is the Quranic evidence :
[3: 133] "You should eagerly race towards forgiveness
from your Lord and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heavens and the
earth; it awaits the righteous,
[3:134] "who give to charity during the good
times, as well as the bad times."
The words "who give to charity during the good times, as well as the bad
times" indicate that God’s law for Charity (Zakat) must be observed
equally during the easy times as well as the hard times, not from your
excess. A rich person who spends in
luxury, owning ten mansions, twenty fancy cars, 10
international resort retreats may not have excess and
will not have to pay Zakat as he spends all his money or get it tied
in the stock market while an average person making small
income who spends reasonably and keep
excess money for unexpected expenses, will have to
pay Zakat if the law is to pay Zakat
from the excess only. A clear unfair system. God
is the Most just.
If those who are experiencing hard times were in any way exempted from paying
their charity , God would not say these words. Those poor people who may
not have any income at one point, will get income from Zakat and
from their Zakat they are obligated to give 2.5%
from this income to another poor person.
In reality , there is not ONE single Ayat in the Quran that gives any concessions
in Zakat to any person if he has a low income . The one who has a low income
, if he still obeys God’s law in Zakat , in that is his test ,
we are all given tests ,some in plenty (like Solomon) and some in hard times
(like Job.) God is aware of our needs and our circumstances in all situations,
we must always follow His law, and exercise patience.
While God set the obligatory percentage for Zakat on any income we receive,
He also left the door open for more charitable works, to give the righteous
a chance to earn even more credit - up to 700 times - by paying more to charity,
2:261.
The recipients of this type of charity are clearly mentioned in 9:60, 2:273
and 2:277;
[9:60] Charities shall go to the poor, the needy, the workers who collect
them, the new converts, to free the slaves, to those burdened by sudden expenses,
in the cause of GOD, and to the traveling alien. Such is GOD's commandment.
GOD is Omniscient, Most Wise.
[2:273] Charity shall go to the poor who are suffering in the cause of GOD,
and cannot emigrate. The unaware may think that they are rich, due to their
dignity. But you can recognize them by certain signs; they never beg from
the people persistently. Whatever charity you give, GOD is fully aware thereof.
[2:177] Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west.
Righteous are those who ……..give the money, cheerfully, to the
relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and
to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give
the obligatory charity (Zakat)…..
The specific recipients of the obligatory charity, Zakat, are clearly mentioned
in 2:215;
[2:215] They ask you about giving: say, "The charity you give shall go to
the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, and the traveling alien."
Any good you do, GOD is fully aware thereof.
As you can see, some of the categories for Zakat and other types of charity
overlap.
Verse 2:215 and 2:219 speak about Zakat and charity respectively, using the
same term Nafaqa (unifiquun). Although the same word is being used for other
charities (in 2:219), the amount is specifically defined in the verse as
being "afw," meaning "the excess." Thus, clearly not obligatory.
When we study all the verses in the Quran about Zakat and other types of
charity, we realize that Zakat cannot possibly be from "the excess." Instead
we learn that it is a known percentage (70:24), which is to be paid out on
the same day we receive any income (6:141). We also see that Zakat is
specifically mentioned by name (ZAKAT) or expressed as "haqq," meaning "duty,"
or "haqqun ma'luum," meaning "known duty," and also occasionally described
as "Nafaqa" (unifiquun), meaning "to spend," as in 2:215.
Here are the verses of the Quran on the subject of
Zakat and
charity
Common names for optional charity in the
Quran, some of them apply to Zakat also:
1. Sadaqa or its roots 2:196, 2:263, 2:264, 2:271,4:114, 9:60,
9:79, 9:103, 9:104 and 58:12
2. Nafaqa or its roots : 2:219, (these can also be
applied to Zakat) 2 :261, 2:262, 2:267, 2:265, 2:272,
2:273, 2:274,
3:134, 8:3, 9:121, 22:35, 28:54. 32:16, 63:10.....etc
Common names for Zakat in the Quran (in
addition to the shared verses above) :
1. Zakat 2:43, 2:83, 2:110, 2:177,
2:277, 4:77, 4:162, 5:12, 5:55, 7:156, 9:5, 9:11, 9:18, 9:71, 19:31, 19:55,
21:73, 22:41, 22:78, 24:37, 24:56, 27:3, 31:4, 33:33, 41:7, 58:13, 73:20,
and 98:5
2. Haqq or Haqqahu as in 6:141, 17:26,
and 51:19
3. Haqqun Ma'luum as in 70:24
4. Nafaqa: 2:215, 2
:261, 2:262, 2:267, 2:265, 2:272, 2:273, 2:274,
:134, 8:3, 9:121, 22:35, 28:54. 32:16, 63:10.....etc
It is interesting to notice the following;
6:141 is the only verse that sets the timing of Zakat.
70:24 is the only verse that refers to the percentage. It says that it is
Ma'luum = Known.
This means Zakat percentage was known at the time of Muhammad, and did not
necessitate any correction by God in the Quran. This is exactly the case
with the number of rakats of salat and other aspects of it that were
not restored in the Quran.
Zakat is the obligatory charity set as 2.5% of the net income,
paid year around whenever the person receives an income. It is described
in the Quran as a known and obligatory portion of the income. God will not
call it known if it was not.
Zakat follows the pattern of all rituals of Islam (Submission), given
to Abraham, followed by Muhammad and confirmed again after 1400 years
by the messenger of the covenant as being correct and unaltered. God is in
full charge of His religion and rituals.
Praise be to God.
info@submission.org
