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THE SYSTEM OF ZAKAT

zakat tax is a tenet in Islam that is applicable to wheat, barley, dates, raisins, gold, silver, cattle, goats and sheep, camels; and is mandatory for every major Muslim at prescribed rate. The meaning of the word zakat is purity and cleanliness and the Shari`ah too has used the word in the same sense. The purpose is that the person pays this tax to cleanse his or her assets. When the zakat is not paid, the holdings of a person are deemed unclean. After payment of the zakat they affects of a person are clean and even the mind will be free of miserliness, avarice and undue love for wealth. Therefore, the Holy Qur’an said:

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِمْ بِهَا.

“Take alms out of their property, you would cleanse them and purify them thereby. (9/103)”

The basic purpose of zakat is providing help to the poor and needy that none in the society remains helpless. Therefore, zakat has eight uses. Out of the eight, seven are applicable to individuals and one pertains to the collective requirement of the society. The Holy Qur’an says:

إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاِبْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنْ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ.

“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. (9/60)”

zakat can bridge the economic imbalances to a greater extent. The reason is that a substantial amount of wealth goes from the hands of the affluent for the benefit of the poor. Although it does not reduce the difference between the rich and the poor very much, but certainly it does make appreciable difference in the living standards of the poor. One of the main purposes of the zakat is

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that the wealth does not stagnate in the hands of a few and a part of it percolates to the poor and needy. Therefore, the Holy Qur’an describes the purpose of alms in these words:

كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنْكُمْ.

“…so that it may not be a thing taken by turns among the rich of you. (59/7)”

In some circles there is a feeling that the quantum of zakat prescribed is so meager that it is neither sufficient to bridge the economic gap between the rich and the poor, nor the numbers of the poor and needy could be brought down with this amount. The best reply for this thinking has been given by Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (a.s),

“Allah has affixed the share of the poor in the assets of the rich that is sufficient to meet their needs. If Allah had thought that it would not suffice for the poor, He would have enhanced the quantum.”

In fact, if Allah wanted He could have apportioned an equal share for the poor in the wealth of the affluent or even more! But the Divine Wisdom is that He leaves more for the affluent because it is the product of their hard work and toil. If the poor have a share in it, the rich too owns the wealth as a matter of right!

The truth is that the quantum of zakat is not less because it is fixed in such a manner that the rich do not make excuses to avoid it which, they might have done, if the quantum was fixed higher. If the zakat is paid honestly and regularly by all, there is no doubt that the poor will rise above their economic problems and there will be general well being.

zakat is a religious obligation and therefore people should have the spirit of intent, nearness to Allah and sense of fulfillment of duty. They should not think that they are delivering any favor to the recipients but must know that it is the right of the society that had been endowed by Allah. Therefore, the Holy Qur’an says:

وَفِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ حَقٌّ لِلسَّائِلِ وَالْمَحْرُومِ.

“And in their property was a portion due to him who begs and to him who is denied (good). (51/19)”

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was raised by the representatives and spent on predetermined heads. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) who was the wali `Amr after the Prophet (a.s) started the department of zakat during his regime. This department took special care to observe the steps that the Prophet (a.s) used to take in the matter of the zakat. Therefore, such persons were appointed to this task that was known for their piety and honesty. The Imam (a.s) used to exhort them not to use coercive tactics in demanding for the payment of the zakat. If someone voluntarily declared the quantity of the zakat applicable to him, that was collected. When some people said that the zakat was not applicable to them, no questions were asked. He told the zakat collectors that they should not give an impression to persons that they were not trusted. The collectors were also asked not to demand any particular animal from the flocks towards settlement of the zakat. It was always the discretion of the assessed to part with whatever he deemed fit to be given as the zakat. But the people were asked not to give lame, sickly and emaciated animals towards the zakat. `Ali (a.s) also instructed his men to take proper care of the animals that came in their charge as a settlement of zakat. He asked them not to bring them through ways that had no possibility of getting fodder and water for long spells. He asked them to keep the she camels and their young ones together. They were also asked not take all the milk from the mother that the little ones suffered want of feed.

These steps of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) indicate that he was not in favor of force or coercion in the matter of zakat. In fact, he wanted to create the right spirit in the minds of the people to come forward voluntarily that they fulfill this mandatory duty of theirs.

Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) used the zakat money only on heads that have been prescribed in the Holy Qur’an and never mixed it in the funds for other requirements of the State.