Zakat

Q: what is zakat ?

A: zakat is the part of wealth which is given away for the possession and use of poor according to allah’s order. Just as prayers and fasting are bodily worship. Zakat is worship through the property.

Q: is zakat fard or wajib ?

A: it is fard. Ayat of the holy qur’an and the holy prophet’s ahadith are full of commendations for zakat being fard. One who denies zakat as being fard is kafir.

Q: what are the conditions for zakat being fard ?

A: one should be a muslim , free, sane, major, owner of sufficient property (nisab). This nisab should be free of debts and real re quirements for his ownself. One year at least should have elapsed on the ownership of nisab. Thus on the property of a kafir, slave, an insane person, and a minor zakat is not fard. If any one has got property less than which is liable for zakat , or it is enough for zakat, but there is dept on it , or the nisab has not been in ownership for one year, zakat will not be fard in all these conditions.

Property for zakat and nisab

Q: on what kind of belogings zakat is fard ?

A: on silver and gold and on all types of inerchandise.

Q: does ‘silver and gold’ include silver and gold coins, etc. Or something else?

A: zakat on all things of silver and gold , gold coins, silver rupees, jewellery, utensils, gold and silver laces, etc., is fard.

Q: is zakat fard on jewels and gems ?

A: if the jewels and gems are mean for trade zakat is fard, otherwise not, whatever may be their value. In the same way if a person had copper utensile of more value than of nisab, or a shop or a house of more value than of nisab and the owner gets its rent also or he has other valuable than those of gold and silver but none of those are for trade, zakat will not be fard.

Q: what is the order , if one has currency notes to the order of nisab ?

A: zakat is fard on that.

Q: if one has some silver and some gold but not to the order of nisab , is zakat on that fard ?

A: in that case both should be valued in terms of silver or gold and heir value be added together. If it comes to the order of nisab of silver or gold either, zakat according to that will be given, otherwise zakat will not be fard.

Q: if one has got a little quantity of gold and its value is equal to or more than the nisab for silver, but he has no silver, neither money nor jewellery of silver, is zakat fard on him ?

A: no, in this condition zakat will not be fard on him .

Q: what is meant by merchandise ?

A: goods which are for sale or for making profits are merchandise, whatever the kind, e.g., foodgrains, cloth, sugar, shoes or other general merchandise.

Q: what is nisab ?

A: shari’at has fixed a certain quantity or standard of valuables on possession of which zakat becomes fard. Zakat becomes fard when one owns valuables in that quantity or standard. This standard or quantity is called nisab .

Q: what is the nisab of silver ?

A: the nisab of silver is 54 tolas two mashas or about 606 grams. (one tola is equal to the weight of one indian rupee.)

Q: what will be the zakat of 54 tolas 2 mashas of silver ?

A: giving 1/40th of a thing as zakat is fard. Thus, for 54 tolas 2 mashas, zakat will be one tola, 4 mashas and two rattis.

Q: what is the nisab of gold ?

A: the nisab of gold is 7 tolas 8-1/2 mashas or about 89 grams and its zakat, again 1/40th will come to 2 mashas 2-1/2 rattis of gold.

Q: what is the nisab of the merchandise ?

A: first calculate the value of the merchandise according to either silver or gold, then give away the zakat to the order if the nisab of gold or silver .

Giving zakat

Q: what is the right methos of giving zakat ?

A: give zakat, that has become wajib, to a deserving person in the name of allah and make him its matter. It is not right to give zakat for any work or service done. (the man who is deputed to realise zakat can be paid from the zakat money.) But it is allowed to buy and distribute things out of zakat money.

Q: what zakat should be given ?

A: zakat should be given without delay as one year passes on the valuable to the order of nisab 9year means lunar calender year.)

Q: is it allowed to give away zakat before the completion of one year ?

A: for a person who owns valuable it is allowed to give zakat according to the nisab before the completion of one year.

Q: is the niyat necessary while giving zakat ?

A: yes the niyat should be there when giving zakat or at least when one is separating the required portion from the property. Zakat will not be paid if one gives the money without the niyat for zakat but afterwards accounts it to zakat.

Q: is it necessary to tell the person, whom zakat is being given, that what is given to him is of zakat ?

A: it is not necessary. Zakat will be paid even if it is given as reward or eid gift to poor childern, etc.

Q: what is the order when the whole property is destryed after the completion of one year thought no zakat had yet been paid on it ?

A: the responsibility of zakat will also lapse.

Q: what if the whole property is given away in the name of allah---after the completion of one year ?

A: its zakat will also be excused.

Q: what if a portion of the property is destroyed or is given away as charity ?

A: for the portion that has been destroyed or given away as charity, zakat will lapse. For the remaining portion zakat must be paid.

Q: if zakat for silver is given away in silver, how should it be assessed, by its value or weight ?

A: its weight should be counted . For instance, if one has rs. 100, he should iven 2-1/2 tolas (tola=the weight of one rupee) of silver as zakat, but it is on his choise whether he gives twu rupees and eight anna piece ar a piece of silver weighing 2-1/2 tolas. Zakat will be taken to be paid. But if this piece of silver is worth only rs. 2, zakat will not be completed by paying only two rupees.

Q: if zakat of silver is wajib, can anything else be given in its place as zakat ?

A: yes, by the price of the quantity of silver that becomes wajib as zakat, something else like cloth or foodgrains may also be purchased and given.

The masarif-e-zakat

Q: what is meant by masarif-e-zakat ?

A: the person to whom zakat is allowed to be given is called masarat-e-zakat. Masarif is the plural of masraf. Masarif-e-zakat means persons to whom zakat is allowed to be given.

Q:what are the masarif-e-zakat ?

A: in these days masarif-e-zakat are :

Fakir, a person having little belongings but not to the valve of nisab.
Miskin, the person who himself owns nothing.
Debtor, a person who is in dept of others and whose dept exceeds his belongings to the order of nisab.
A traveller who has run short of money, while in journey, may also be given zakat according to his need.
Q: is it permitted to give zakat to the islamic schools ?

A: yes, it is permitted to give zakat to the students, and to the managers of the shools for spending on students. There is no harm in it.

Q: to whom it is not allowed to give zakat ?

A: the persons to whom the giving of zakat is forbidden are :

*wealthy person, a person on whom zakat is fard, or he has some property over and above his personal and real requirements, to the order of the value of nisab. E.g., he has some copper utensile other than those required by him for daily use, valued to the order of the nisab. Accepting zakat by such a person is not halal.

* A saiyed and bani hashim, bani hashim means the descendants of hadrat ja’far and hadrat ali (rz)

* To one’s father and mother and maternal or paternal grandfather, grandmother and to those above in the lineage.

* To son. Daughter, paternal or maternal grandson, grand-daughter and to those in the lineage still below.

* The husband to his wife and the wife to her husband can also not give zakat.

* Kafir

* Minor child of a wealthy person. It is not allowed to give zakat to any of these persons.

Q: on what items zakat is not to be spent ?

A: when a deserving person is or cannot be made the master. It is not allowed to spend zakat on such items like the funeral of the dead, paying off the debt of a dead, in the repair or construction of a mosque, and water supply.

Q: is it allowed to give zakat to a person who owns a house worth one thousund or two thoususnd rupees and lives in it or makes even his living by its rent, and has no other property except that, but has run short of money ?

A: it is allowed , because this house is included in his real recuirements. But id one has some property other than his real requirements, to the order of nisab, then he is not allowed to accept zakat.

Q: will zakat be taken to be paid if one gives to a person, taking him to be deserving , but later on it is revealed that he was a saiyed or a wealthy person, or his own father or mother or one from his own descendants ?

A: it is taken to be paid. It is not wajib to pay to again.

Q; what are the persons to whom giving of zakat is the best ?

A: first to his own relatives, such as brother, sister, brother;s sons and daughters, sister’s sons and daughters, maternal or paternal aunts and uncles, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daugher’s husband, etc. There is a great blessing to pay zakat to those amongest the above mentioned who are needy and deserving. After them comes the number of neighbours or others residing in his own city. It is best to give it to thiose amongst those, who are deserving and needy. Then comes the turn of those to whom it zakat is given, becomes fruitful for the religion, such as students of theology.

Sadqa-e-fitr

Q. What is sadqa-e-fitr ?

A. Fitr means to break the fast or not to keep fast. Allah has fixed a sadqa (sacrifice) over his bondsmen. After the expiry of ramadan and on the rejoicing of breaking the fast. It should be paid as mark of gratitude. This is called sadqa-e-fitr. The 'eid that comes after the ramadan is called 'eid-ul-fitr, as it is the day of rejoicing over the completion of the fast.

Q. On what persons sadqa-e-fitr is wajib ?

A. Sadqa-e-fitr is wajib on every tree muslim when he owns property to the value of nisab.

Q. Is that the same nisab of zakat, which has been allowed, or something else, as being the condition of nisab for sadqa-e-fitr to become wajib ?

A. The nisab of zakat and nisab of sadqa-e-fitr are the same, e.g., 54 tolas and 2 mashas of silver or its price. But there is a difference between the nisab of zakat and nisab of sadqa-e-fitr. For, zakat becomes fard when a man owns a certain quantity of silver, gold or merchandise. But for sadqa-e-fitr being wajib, all his possessions are counted and all sorts of things are taken into account. It is necessary for both the nisabs, to be free from all sorts of burdens of debts and in excess of real personal requirements. So, if a persons has extra clothes, other than those clothes used by him or has some extra utensils of copper, brass, china clay, etc., or has an occupied house, or some other property or goods, exceeding his real and personal requirements, and the value of these things, equals or exceeds the order of the nisab, no zakat is fard on that, but sadqa-e-fitr will be wajib. The condition of the passing away of one year time is also not necessary over the nisab of sadqa-e-fitr. The payment of sadqa-e-fitr becomes wajib even if one becomes possessor of the nisab the same day.

Q. On whose behalf the payment of sadqa-e-fitr is wajib ?

A. The payment of sadqa-e-fitr is wajib on every person who holds nisab. He should pay it from his own side and on behalf of his minor children ; but if the minors have their own property, it should be paid from that.

Q. It is generally said that sadqa-e-fitr is not wajib on a person who did not keep fast. Is this correct or wrong ?

A. It is wrong. It is wajib on every individual who holds nisab whether he keeps fast or not.

Q. What is the time of sadqa-e-fitr being wajib ?

A. The sadqa becomes wijib on 'eid day, just after the subh-e-sadiq. So, if a person dies before subh-e-sadiq, no sadqa-e-fitr will be paid from his property. If a child is born before subh-e-sadiq, it shall be paid on behalf of the child.

Q. Is it allowed to pay off sadqa-e-fitr, before the 'eid, during ramadan ?

A. It is allowed.

Q. What is the better time for paying sadqa-e-fitr ?

A. It is better to pay on "eid day before going to 'eid prayers. It is also allowed to pay after the prayers. It will remain due in his name till he pays, no matter how much time pasess.

Q. What things and in what quantity are wajib to be paid inn sadqa-e-fitr ?

A. All kinds of foodgrains or their price is allowed to be paid in sadqa-e-fitr. It is detailed like this : if wheat, or its flour is given, it should be 1 3/4 seers (3 1/2 ibs.) Per head. And if barley or its flour or any other foodgrains, rice or millet, etc, in place of wheat and barley is given then that grain should be equal to the price of either 1 3/4 seers of wheat or of 3 1/2 seers of barley. If it is given in cash it should be equal to the price of 1 3/4 seers of wheat or 3 1/2 seers of barley.

Q. Is it allowed to give sadqa-e-fitr of one person to many beggars, in little quantities to each, or should be given to only one beggar ?

A. It is allowed to give to many beggars. In the same way sadqa-e-fitr of many persons can be given to only one person.

Q. To whom should dadqa-e-fitr be given ?

A. Sadqa-e-fitr is allowed to be given to those persons to whom zakat is allowed to be given. It is not allowed to give sadqa-e-fitr to those persons to whom zakat is not allowed to be given.

Q. Can those persons, on whom sadqa-e-fitr is wajib, take zakat or sadqa-e-fitr ?

A. They cannot. The persons, who themselves are in possession of the nisab of sadqa-e-fitr, are not allowed to take any fard or wajib sadqa.