Things to Consider When Paying Zakat

On the authority of Abdullah, the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, "Islam has been built on five [pillars]: testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing the salah (prayer), paying the zakat (obligatory charity), making the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House, and fasting in Ramadhan."

Zakat, the third pillar of Islam, is a fundamental practice that promotes social solidarity and economic balance among Muslims. In Arabic, zakat means growth or purification, which involves giving a portion of one's wealth to eligible recipients at a specified time. But what are the specific conditions and rulings for zakat? Who is obligated to pay it, and how is it calculated? This article answers these questions and more.

What Is Zakat?

In Islamic law, zakat is the wealth a Muslim must give from their private funds to a group of eligible Muslim recipients. It has various types, each with its quorum (nisab) and specific rulings, such as zakat on gold, silver, money, crops, livestock, and trade goods. And every Muslim who meets the conditions must pay zakat for themselves and those they support financially, such as a wife, children, and parents.

What Are the Conditions for Zakat?

Zakat has a specific system, terms, and conditions that ensure that it does not constitute a burden on Muslims and that it reaches those who truly need it. For zakat to be obligatory on a Muslim, he must fulfill a set of conditions. We mention to you some of them:

• Islam: Only Muslims are required to pay zakat.
• Ownership of Quorum: The wealth must reach a minimum threshold.
• Completion of One Lunar Year (Hawl): A full lunar year must pass over the wealth without decreasing below the quorum.
• Full Ownership of the Wealth: The wealth must be wholly owned by the individual, meaning zakat cannot be given from borrowed money or money partially owned by others.
• Surplus Wealth and Growth Potential: This means zakat is due on wealth not intended for necessities and has the potential to increase, like in trading.

What Is the Quorum and How Is It Calculated?

By the quorum, we mean the amount that if the money reaches and passes over for an entire year without decreasing, then zakat becomes obligatory for the Muslim. Scholars have estimated the quorum value to be a quarter of a tenth, i.e., 2.5%.

An Example of Calculating the Quorum:

If a Muslim owns 87.5 grams of gold or its equivalent in cash, and a full Hijri year has passed without this money decreasing, then zakat becomes obligatory for him.

Explanation in Numbers:

If the price of one gram of gold is 40 Jordanian dinars, the quorum for gold is:

87.5 grams x 40 dinars = 3,500 Jordanian dinars.

Therefore, if a Muslim owns 3,500 Jordanian dinars or more for a full Hijri year, he must pay zakat at 2.5%.

Zakat Calculation:

If the money is 4,000 Jordanian dinars, zakat is calculated as follows:

4,000 dinars x 0.025 (zakat percentage) = 100 Jordanian dinars.

In this case, the Muslim must pay 100 dinars as zakat on their money.

As for zakat al-Fitr, it does not follow a specific quorum. Instead, it is a zakat that is obligatory for every Muslim with enough food for their day. Its time is after the Maghrib call to prayer on the last day of Ramadan until just before the Eid prayer. Giving it in food and sustenance is desirable, as it is equivalent to 3 kilograms of basic foodstuffs such as flour, barley, raisins, rice, dates, and others. However, some scholars permitted it to be paid in cash equivalent to these amounts.

What To Do Before Giving Zakat?

Accuracy must be achieved by ensuring that those receiving zakat deserve it. Some scholars have argued that failure to investigate may lead to zakat corruption. The categories eligible for zakat, or what are called zakat banks, are:

• The Poor and Those in Need: Someone with no money or insufficient money to meet his needs deserves zakat.
• Zakat Workers: This refers to those who work on zakat, either by collecting, distributing, or doing other related work. The worker is given a portion of the zakat money in exchange for his work, which is a wage estimated accordingly, whether rich or poor.
• Those Whose Hearts are to be Reconciled: They are those who have recently reverted to Islam, but their hearts are still in doubt. The evidence for this is that the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, gave Abu Sufyan some of the spoils of Hunayn.
• Setting enslaved people Free: Although this no longer exists today, it must be mentioned that freeing enslaved people is one form of zakat.
• Debtors: This refers to those who have a debt and cannot pay it. They are entitled to zakat to pay off their debt.
• For the Sake of God: to raise the word of God, whether to the soldiers in jihad or aspects of goodness.
• The Wayfarer: He is a traveler in a country other than his own and does not have enough money, so he is given zakat money sufficient to travel back and forth.

Therefore, a Muslim must investigate and make sure that those to whom his zakat goes are from these categories.

Donate Zakat to Tkiyet Um Ali: Participate in Alleviating the Suffering of Those in Need.

Zakat stands out as one of the most important pillars of Islam and a testament to solidarity among Muslims. Tkiyet Um Ali is one of the most important Jordanian charitable institutions that collects zakat funds and disburses them to those who deserve them after careful investigation. Tkiyet Um Ali receives the zakat funds of donors to be distributed in the form of food parcels to 22,000 families in need in all governorates of the Kingdom or in the form of emergency food parcels to affected families in the Gaza Strip in cooperation with the Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization per a legal fatwa issued by the Jordanian General Fatwa Department.

When you donate to Tkiyet Um Ali, we help meet the needs of the poor and build a more cohesive and compassionate Muslim community. Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a big difference in the lives of many. Donate your zakat now with Your Zakat Reaches Jordan and Gaza Campaign and be a part of alleviating the suffering of Muslims.