One Ummah Network
Thu, 06 Jul 2000 15:17:07 -0700
Submission by: Islamic Unification Movement <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Topic: Zakah and Its Unifying Features ************ Text: Zakah and Its Unifying Features -------------------------------- (by Sister Rukaiah, Muslim Writers Society and Foundation) ‘If they… pay zakah, they are your brethren in faith.’ [taubah 9:11] Since the beginning of civilization there has always been a deep concern for the welfare of the poor. Although Islam’s concern for the poor as a humanitarian issue – without which brotherhood and a high standard of living cannot be realized – is not new; it certainly is unique in that it devised a method to eliminate poverty. Taxing has been common since before the coming of Islam. However, taxes were payable only by the poor and middle classes, while the kings, clergy, and those related to them were not imposed with such financial obligations. Naturally, the individual citizen did not consider the government as his representative, rather as a blood-sucking enemy. With the coming of Islam, a renaissance-of-sorts took place. Muslims became as brothers to one another. Brotherhood further began to imply selfless giving and sacrifice. This practice of giving selflessly took the form of sadaqah. Zakah is very often referred to as sadaqah in the Qur’an and hadith. Allah says, ‘sadaqah is only for the poor and the needy...’ [Tauba 9: 60] The use of the word ‘sadaqah’ should not mislead us from a sense of obligation which the word carried, when the Qur’an was being revealed. It is only in the later history of Islam that sadaqah began to imply ‘voluntary charitable donations’. Obligatory sadaqah, now more appropriately referred to as zakah or Charity Tax, began to be imposed on the rich. What is more, zakah made a niche for itself as the third pillar of Islam! Allah says, ‘They ask you [O Prophet] how much they are to spend, say, "What is beyond your needs." ’ [baqarah 2: 219] Zakah is not mere charity that Muslims give as part of their good deeds. It is in fact a defined due that does not degrade the receiver, nor elevate the giver, fulfilling two purposes that of purification of wealth and care for the poor. Allah further mentioned through His beloved Messenger [s] that He disliked that the poor should beg. Allah says, ‘And of their goods, take alms, so that you can purify and sanctify them.’ [taubah 9: 103] Allah says, ‘Sadaqah is only for the poor and the needy...’ [Tauba 9: 60] Everything that we own in this world, from our wealth to our children to our bodies is loaned to us by Allah. They are a test for us. The poor have a right over our wealth and we have to give them their due share. Allah says, ‘Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan? For [Allah] will increase it manifold to his credit, and he will have [besides] it a liberal reward.’ [hadid 57: 11] Islam does not impose zakah on all amounts of growing wealth. There is a minimum wealth above which zakah is required to be taken, which jurists call the ‘nisab’. This wealth should be in the possession of the owner for a complete lunar year. Zakah is obligatory on every Muslim who owns this excess wealth regardless of race, color, social status, or sex. The Weak, strong, knowledgeable, ignorant, all are equal in the obligation of zakah. Abu Ma’bad reported the Prophet [s] as saying, ‘Take from the rich and give to the poor.’ [bukhari vol. 2 h# 1496] Narrated Abu Hurayrah [ra], ‘A man came to the Prophet [s] and asked, "O Prophet [s]! What kind of as-sadaqah [zakah, charity etc.] is the most superior in reward?" He replied, "The charity which you practice while you are healthy, stingy and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, "Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such." ’ [bukhari vol. 2 h# 1419] The whole structure of zakah stands on a foundation, which is so eloquently expressed by our beloved Prophet [s]: ‘A person is not a believer unless he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.’ Allah adds: ‘O you who believe! Give of the good things which you have [honorably] earned, and of the fruits of the earth which we have produced for you. And do not even aim at getting anything which is bad, in order, that out of it you may give away something, which you yourselves would not receive it except with closed eyes.’ [baqarah 2: 267] Zakah is not just a temporary relief of the immediate needs of the poor, leaving them in poverty soon after. It is payable every year, aimed at raising the level of living of the poor. Allah says, ‘The believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil, they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger.’ [tauba 9: 71] Think about this situation: If all the people in the world become Muslims and practice zakah, there wouldn’t be a single poor person in the world. This is the magic that unity in zakah can work. Abu Hurayrah reported the Prophet [s] as saying, ‘The Last Hour will not come till wealth is abundant and overflowing, so much so that the owner of the property will think as to who will accept sadaqah from him, and a person would be called to accept sadaqah and he would say, I do not need it.’ [muslim vol. 2 h# 2209] It may, on the face of it, appear hypothetical. However, the social summit of the United Nations think it is possible to halve poverty by 2015 CE! If the UN can so much as assume, well, Islam is known to have solutions for everything noble. Although Allah distinctly advises us to seek refuge in Him from every kind of envy, He gave the following message through His Prophet [s]: Narrated Ibn Mas’ud [ra], ‘I heard the prophet [s] as saying, "There are two kinds of envy permitted – one of them is… a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way." ’ [bukhari vol. 2 h# 1409] One of the best jobs in the sight of Allah is that of zakah collector in view of its noble nature. Rafi ibn Khadij [ra] is reported to have said, ‘I heard the Prophet [s] as saying, "He who collects sadaqah with [valid] justification, is like him who fights for the cause of Allah, till he returns to his house." ’ [ibn majah vol. 3 h# 1809] Many people attack Muslims and hence Islam, by saying that if Allah is so caring toward the poor, why did he create poverty in the first place. They could not have asked a simpler question. Poverty is a test for the poor and wealth is a test for the wealthy. This life after all is a preparation for the Afterlife. Abu Hurayrah reported the Prophet [s] as saying, ‘O son of Adam, spend and I will spend on you. The right hand of Allah is full and overflowing and nothing would diminish it, by overspending day and night.’ [muslim vol. 2 h# 2178] ---------------------------------------- Muslim Writers Society and Foundation http://www.oneummah.net/qalam/ ---------------------------------------- ________________________________________ OneUmmah Network e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage: http://OneUmmah.Net Free E-mail Service: http://oneummah.zzn.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] e-mail entire list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] The views expressed on One Ummah Information do not necessarily coincide with the views of One Ummah Network, with the Islamic Unification Movement, or its supporters. All the works presented by this service are properties of their authors unless otherwise stated. ________________________________________