Matters Relating to Zakat

Question 01: If a Muslim struggles hard in order to achieve his own wealth, why should he/she give a certain amount of this wealth in the form of zakat? Is not all the money his/hers? Cannot God give the poor money?
Answer 01: Islam has its own comprehensive educational system which takes care of both the individual and the society at the same time. It maintains balance in rights and duties, chastens and purifies the soul from greed and miserliness, and makes man feel that he/she is an integral part of the society. Islam preaches that there is no complete happiness unless all are happy; a well known Muslim poet says: “No clouds should ever rain on me or on my land/ Unless it rains all over the place.” Islam has established a society based on cooperation,solidarity,reciprocal connection, mercy, love, benevolence and altruism. A true Muslim’s conscience suffers and gets tormented if people around him are under distress or hardship. A Muslim,who has been endowed,by God,with health and strength to collect money,is supposed to give thanks to his Lord for His gifts. The best way for a Muslim to give thanks is to help brethrens in Islam who need help,to give the deprived and poor from what God has given him. Love and intimacy as such would be established and maintained between the poor and the rich. In this way, society would feel better; and the spirit of cooperation and harmony would prevail among the members of the same community. Besides, the one who is poor and frugal might become rich one day,and vice versa;he who gives today might be in need in the future. Every right has one duty against it, and vice versa.
If we look at the modern advanced societies,we find them imposing different systems of social security,collecting taxes, and trying all the time to protect these systems by the force of law.Islam legislated the system of zakat, which is fundamentally is a test, in order to achieve solidarity for the sake of brotherhood, love,and goodwill.However, the rebellion of some people against this system obliges the Islamic state to take zakat from them by force so that the right of the society continues to be maintained before the right of individuals, so that happiness can prevail.Almighty God relates: “Help you one another in al-Birr and al-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 2) and prophet Muhammad related: “He is not a believer in me that who sleeps full at home while his neighbor beside him is hungry and he knows about him.”
It is in this way that Islam brought people up so that society could be a civilized one. History has not witnessed a similar example.Islam still has the aptitude to form such society based on these values and high ideals if it has the enlightened and conscious leadership and if people are enjoying an atmosphere of freedom and dignity.


Question 02: Is it permissible for a convert to give zakat to non-Muslim relatives for reconciliation so that they may embrace Islam?
Answer 02: Yes, it is possible to give zakat to relatives for reconciliation so that they may embrace Islam. In fact they are entitled to get such zakat.Almighty God says: “As-sadaqat (here it means zakat) are only for the poor, and to the needy (but do no beg) and those employed to collect (the funds), and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam)” (Holy Qur’an: 9: 60). Though non-Muslims, these people must be given from the money of zakat so that they may,hopefully,embrace Islam.Many people have embraced Islam out of their desire to get money, but later they became interested in the religion and became good Muslims.


Question 03: Out of the eight ways of spending zakat comes “and those who are in the path of God.” Does this include sponsoring Islamic promulgators and buying books for free distribution?
Answer 03: Zakat should go to those specified by almighty God in the Qur’an. According to the majority of scholars, the type mentioned above, in the path God, means jihad (holy war) against the enemies of God. As to those who have devoted their time for Islamic call and have nothing to earn their living from, they are entitled to the zakat money. As to buying books and distributing them free, if the books are useful to those who are going to receive them, especially in the field of religion, and they were among those entitled to zakat money, there is no objection to this. Generally speaking, distributing books to the poor and to the needy, it is one of the most useful deeds which bring the Muslim closer to God and it is the most important kind of the ways to spread the Islamic call, but this should not come from the zakat money. The charitable people should assign an amount of money as alms for this kind of activity.