Dr. Zakir: Alhumdulillah was salaatu was salaam ala rasoolillah wa ala aalihi wa ashaabihi wa ajma’een. Amma Ba’ad
A’uzu billahi minash shaytan nir-rajeem,
Bismillah hirrahman nirraheem,
Rabbish rahli Şadri Wa Yassir Li ‘Amri Wa Ahlul `Uqdatan Min Lisani Yafqahu Qawli
As far as the literal meaning of the word Zakaat is concerned Zakaat is derived from the word ‘Zaka’ which means to purify, which means to increase, it also means blessings and goodness. So Zakaah means purifications or cleanliness, increase, it means goodness, it means blessings.
In Islamic Shariah, Zakaah is an obligatory charity which every Muslim who has a saving or a surplus wealth which has reached the Nisaab level or above that and stays with him for one complete lunar year or one Hijri year, he should give Zakaat on that surplus wealth which is most of the times 2½ %. This is the Shariah, Islamic, meaning of it.
And Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) says in the Quran in Surah Tawbah ch. no. 9 verse no. 103
“Take alms or give charity, give Zakaah from the wealth so that it will purify and sanctify them.
Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah Room ch. no. 30 verse no. 39
“Those who give gifts in order that it will increase their property through the gifts of the other person’s property, it will have no increase with Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala)…..But those who give charity seeking the pleasure of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), they will find a increase there.”
And Zakaat is one of the pillars of Islam. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said, its mentioned in
Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 1 in the Book of Eemaan Book of Faith Hadith no. 8, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that
“Islam is based on 5 principals, the first is La ila ha ill Allah Muhammadur Rasoolullah, there is no God but Allah and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the Messenger of Allah.
The second is establishing Salaah
Third is giving Zakaat i.e. obligatory charity
The fourth is performing Hajj and
Fifth is Fasting in the month of Ramadhaan”
Which all of us are doing Alhumdulillah now. So Zakaat is one of the important pillars of Islam. There are various verses of
Zakaat which tell us what Zakaat is even various Hadith which gives the significance in Islam.
Allah says in Surah Anfaal ch. no. 8 verse no. 3 and 4 that
Zakaat is a sign of belief, it says that
“All those who believe and establish Salaah and give Zakaat, they are the true believers.”
It means Zakaat is a sign of true belief. And our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said, its mentioned in
Sahih Muslim Vol. no. 4 (Book of Birr) Hadith no. 6264, he said that
“When you give charity, it does not decrease the wealth and if a servant of Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala), if he forgives, Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) increases his respect. And if he shows humility then Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala) raises his status in the eyes of the people.”
So charity does not decrease the wealth it rather increases the wealth. And by Zakaat there is unity and brotherhood among the Muslim Ummah. The full Muslim Ummah, throughout the world is like one family and a person cares for the others, the rich men they give Zakaat to the poor and they feel that as though they are a part of one family and the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said its mentioned in
Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 1 in the Book of Salaah Hadith no. 481, Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that
“One Faithful believer to another faithful believer is like the bricks of a wall, they support each other like the bricks of a wall and he interlaced his fingers of his hands like that.”
So it brings unity in the Muslim Ummah and there is one more verse in the Qur’an which describes Zakaat in a nutshell, Allah says in
Surah Al Hashr ch. no. 59 verse no. 7, speaking about Zakaat that
“It prevents the wealth from circulating amongst the rich.”
So there is a sort of an economic order in Islam, Zakaat.
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