The Third Pillar of Islam
There are eight categories of people and services for whom and which it is permissible to pay Zakah:
More on Zakat ul Fitr in the Shafii School:
What is clear in our school is that it is obligatory for him to pay the zakat al-fitr in the city where it became obligatory on him, and it is not permissible for him to change it to another place The distribution of Zakat ul Fitr is the same as that of Zakat that is, it has to be distributed to the eight groups of beneficiaries mentioned in the ayah. (At Taubah : 60) The zakat fitrah has to be given before aidilfitri prayers.
"Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (Thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."(Surah Al-Tawbah 9:60)
There are two types of Zakat:
Zakat On property
It is compulsory to give Zakat on the following types of property:
- Livestock eg. goats, camels, and cows;
- Cereals eg. rice, corn and wheat;
- Fruits eg. Dates and Grapes only;
- Gold and Silver (includes foreign-exchange, valuable notes and savings);
- Minerals and buried treasure;
- Stocks (goods to be traded).
The Zakat contribution is 2.5% annually of the value of the accumulated wealth, investments and/or savings, when both the nisab (minimum value) and haul ( a period of one Islamic year or 354 days) are due.
Zakat Fitrah (Zakat on yourself)
- Zakat Fitrah is also known as Zakat Puasa (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and much of South East Asia), Zakat Ramadhan, and Zakat Fitri, as it is to be performed at the end of the month of Ramadhan and as Eid ul-Fitr approaches.
- It is a means of 'purifying' the act of fasting (which is the fourth principle of Islam) in the month of Ramadhan as we might have unconsciously commited certain sins while performing the fast. Also, the proceeds will help to lighten the burden of the poor and other needy groups.
- Zakat Fitrah is compulsory (wajib) to all Muslims.
- It is compulsory that the item to be given away as Zakat Fitrah is the staple food of that country. In many countries in Asia, the staple food is rice. Hence, the amount to be given is about 2.3 kilograms of rice.
- For practical purposes, the monetary equivalent of that amount is allowed to be used as Zakat Fitrah.
- The payment of Zakat Fitrah can be done from the first day of the month of Ramadhan. However, it is encouraged, as it is the Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet of Islam that it be paid on the eve of Shawal (the month following Ramadhan) until before the Eid ul-Fitr prayers. After that any payment is considered as charity (sadaqa)
As Zakat is an act of worship (ibadah), it is compulsory to have the conscious intention (niyat) when performing it.
Zakat must be distributed among the classes of Muslims for the purposes enumerated with the Niyat (intention) of fulfilling the obligation of zakat and to see to it that the recipient is made the absolute owner in his or her sole right of what is given to him or her. The moral that this institution conveys is that we must not be selfish and get too fond of worldly possessions, but must always be ready and willing to help our brethren by all means at our disposal..
