If all Muslims paid their Zakat on time, we could eradicate poverty! Zakat is a powerful and divine command that ensures the welfare of society. Learn more!
If all Muslims paid their Zakat on time, we could eradicate poverty! Zakat is a powerful and divine command that ensures the welfare of society. Learn more!
The total sum of alms required of Muslims who are eligible to pay Zakat has the power to wipe out poverty across the world, SubhanAllah!
The UN states that $300 billion is what it will take to achieve the first two Sustainable Development Goals, which are to end extreme poverty and hunger globally. Well, if everyone worldwide gave just 2.5% of their wealth as Zakat, we could all end poverty!
The Origin of Zakat
Over 1400 years ago, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) revealed Islam to humanity. With the message came comprehensive guides and obligations for Muslims to live their lives by. This covers everything from diet to finances – full of wisdom for the ages!
Zakat is one such obligation. Every Muslim eligible to pay Zakat must donate 2.5% of their surplus wealth to those who are eligible to receive it. Unlike other forms of charity in Islam, there are rules around who can pay and receive it. This divine credence ensures that wealth is redistributed to those in need fairly. Zakat is also different from Zakat al-Fitr or Fitrana, which is incumbent upon all Muslims no matter their eligibility.
Some of the rules around Zakat include:
- Paying 2.5% of your surplus wealth, which is everything deemed beyond your basic needs and includes any gold, silver, extra homes, or cars you own out of leisure.
- Having ownership of the Nisab (minimum amount of wealth) for one lunar year before Zakat is due on it.
- The eight specific categories of people who are eligible for receiving Zakat.
- Paying Zakat as soon as it is due – meaning when you reach the anniversary of holding your Nisab for one lunar year. It does not have to be paid during a specific time, such as Ramadan.
You can read everything you need to know about Zakat using our free, downloadable Zakat Guide.
The Power of Zakat
Through Zakat, Muslims are taught that those less wealthy and in need have a right over those who have wealth. It also teaches humanity that we ultimately have the power to eradicate the evils of this world – including poverty.
Ending poverty might not be simple, but it can be. Conflict, climate change and basic human greed are some of the root causes of poverty worldwide, and these are challenging yet possible to tackle.
By empowering ourselves with the knowledge of how to donate Zakat, we can empower those who are most in need.
