1. Who is eligible to be a recipient of zakat?
In Holy Qur’an, Allah said: "
As-sadaqaat (here means zakat)
are only for the fuqara (poor),
and al-masaakin (the needy)
and those employed to collect (the funds)
and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (toward Islam),
and (to free) captives, and for those in debt, and for Allah's cause (i.e. for those fighting in a holy battle)
and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything);
a duty imposed by Allah. " (Taubah; 9/60)
It is possible to explain the eight categories of people mentioned in the verse as:
- The
poor (Faqir/Fuqara): Those without sufficient means of livelihood to
meet their basic necessities. For instance, those who, although may
have a job, a house and a car, but whose income is below the minimum
requirement (nisab).
- The needy (Miskeen): Those without any
means of livelihood and material possessions and dependent on others to
meet their most basic needs such as food and shelter.
- Employees
of the zakat, even if they are rich, they are allowed to take from the
zakat money limited to an amount to take care of themselves and their
family.
- Sympathizers are people whose hearts are expected to
inclined to Islam or whose believe to Islam is expected to increase can
be given gifts from the Zakat money.
- Slaves and captives: In
the days that the system of slavery existed, this meant that a person
who wants to free himself from the shackles of slavery should be given
Zakat so that he may release his neck from bondage by giving money to
his master.
- Debtor is person who is in debt and does not have
financial capital or property exceeding the nisab amount. Such persons
should hold priority status when giving Zakat money compared to the
poor without any debts.
- Those who work for Allah’s cause,
either to spread the truth or to defend their country for Allah’s sake
but also in need for meeting their basic needs deserve zakat.
- Travelers
are people who travels to another country or a foreign place for
noble purposes such as pilgrimage or study and have difficulty in
meeting their needs. They might have living means, but they can still
receive zakat if they have trouble in accessing their means during
travelling.
2. What is the designated minimum amount of wealth for a Muslim to be liable for paying zakat?
Every
Muslim adult possessing the designated minimal amount of wealth
(called nisab) for a full cycle of a lunar year after meeting his/her
basic needs and paying off any debt must, as a matter of worship,
satisfy the duty of the zakat. The basic needs include: a house,
household furniture, means of transportation/a car, clothing, tools,
equipment, books etc. necessary to make his/her livelihood, food
expenses for one year. Should a person’s extra income or possessions
except for his/her debts, if there is any, reaches the nisab amount and
remains that way for one full year, that person must pay zakat.
Nisab amount: Zakat
is due on certain types of wealth. There is a different nisab rate for
every type. Some of the zakat-due types of wealth, their nisab rates
and zakat calculated accordingly are as follows:
Gold: If the amount of gold possessed exceeds 85 grams, one-fortieth of such wealth must be given away as zakat.
Silver: If the amount of silver exceeds 595 grams, again one-fortieth of it must be given as zakat.
Nisab
on cash funds is also calculated as gold and/or silver. Since silver
has lost its value significantly in today’s market, it would be
reasonable to calculate them based on gold-value
3. Is paying one’s taxes regarded as zakat?
Zakat
must not be confused with taxes. It is unacceptable for a person
regarded as wealthy according to religious terms to avoid paying zakat
by thinking “I am paying my taxes”. There are essential differences
between zakat and taxes in terms of legal source, amount, purpose and
means of utilization.
4. If a
person possesses the nisab amount of money or wealth, but his/her
basic needs have not been met yet, does s/he need to pay zakat?
When
the cost of basic needs are deducted from the money or wealth
possessed, if the remaining wealth does not reach the nisab amount, then
that person does not need to pay zakat.
5. Is money saved for debt payment subjected to zakat?
There
is no zakat due for the savings dedicated to the payment of an
existing debt. A person who has zakat payments due from previous years
is also regarded as a debtor. If s/he has less than nisab amount of
money/wealth left after paying the zakat due for previous years, then
s/he is not liable for zakat payment in current year.
6. Should
a person who leases his/her own house to someone else and rents
another place for himself/herself pay zakat for the house s/he owns?
If
the rental income of his/her own house exceeds the rent s/he pays and
the excess amount of income reaches the nisab amount and remains so for
one lunar year, then yes, s/he is liable for paying zakat on this.
7. Does a wife with no other income need to pay zakat for her jewelry?
Thus,
if a woman or man has in her/his ownership gold or silver in the form
of decorative items, household items or personal jewelry the value of
which reaches the appointed Nisab amount on its own or together with
other wealth possessed, then s/he will be required to pay Zakat.
8. Which one of the spouses is required to satisfy the duty of zakat (almsgiving) and qurban (sacrifice)?
If
both spouses have personal incomes and their wealth exceeds the nisab
amount, then each of them is required to satisfy the duty of zakat and
qurban individually.
9. We are paying some of our zakat to our employees who are in need of financial aid, is this alright?
It is completely acceptable to pay zakat to one’s employees.
People
who are not eligible for receiving zakat are: Those who possess more
than the nisab amount of wealth after their basic needs are met
(explained in article 2 above), non-Muslims (except for those who are
included to the group of “sympathizers”), one’s parents,
grandparents…etc. and his/her offspring, their children…etc., one’s own
spouse and descendants of Prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h).
People
except for those stated above are eligible for receiving zakat. The
most acceptable way to pay zakat is to give alms first to one’s
siblings, then to their children, then uncles and aunts and their
children on one’s father’s side, after that, aunts and uncles on one’s
mother’s side and their children and then to the rest of one’s
relatives. A person’s neighbors, colleagues and other acquaintances
follow on the list of priority.
10. Can zakat be sent to poor people in far-away places via aid organizations?
When
it comes to paying one’s zakat what matters is “tamlik” (transfer of
ownership), that is, to transfer the wealth to one of the 8 categories
of recipients listed in the Quran verse. However, in certain
situations, a person may be unable to reach the beneficiaries who need
the zakat the most. In such situations, it is possible and permissible
to send one’s zakat to beneficiaries in far-away places through a system
of agency (wakeel). Should one want to transfer his/her zakat to the
poor and the needy in a far-away place, s/he submits his/her zakat to a
person or institution by assigning that person or institution as an
agent (wakeel). The agent transfers the alms to a poor and needy person
in the designated place. Thus, the duty of zakat becomes satisfied by
meeting the “tamlik” requirement.
11. We
calculate out zakat in the beginning of each year and try to pay it in
installments to appropriate people as we go throughout the year, is
this method alright?
Yes, it is. Zakat can be paid at
once or in installments to the poor who is in serious need of
assistance, such as having to pay a debt.
12. What types of assets are zakatable?
Gold
and silver, trading goods, buried wealth or treasures, oils and
minerals, livestock, land produce are zakatable assets. In addition to
these, in today’s world, equity and cash are also deemed as zakatable
assets. The conditions that should be met are; the person should hold
the complete ownership of these, wealth should be equal to or more than
the nisab amount after funds needed for basic needs are deducted and
should be held in person’s ownership for at least one lunar year.
13. How do we calculate zakat?
Zakat can simply be calculated like this:
A
tradesman calculates his/her stock (of whatever he may be trading) at
the end of each year, adds up the cash and assets he holds. After
deducting his debts, if he has an equivalent of more than 85 grams of
gold, then he pays 2,5% of that wealth as zakat.
- Zakat For Islamic Schools and Orphanages
Question.) I
used to give zakat to Orphanage and madarasas. Somebody told me that
the zakat money cannot be used to construct the orphanage or madarasa
building structure, and can only be used for its operating costs, so you
should not give zakat to these organizations if the zakat is being
used for constructing the orphanage or madarasas buildings. Please
explain this. Also, how would one know for what purpose your zakat
money was used by these organizations and whether you zakat was
properly disbursed. [Sabir]
Answer.) Zakat must be given to the poor and needy. Zakat cannot be used directly for constructing a madrassa or an orphanage.
You
should give out your zakat personally to the poor and needy who are
eligible to accept zakat. If you choose to give your zakat to an
organization make sure that there are competent Ulama there who are well
versed in the laws of Zakat. You should not give your zakat to an
organization where there are no reliable Ulama and the organization is
not well versed in the laws of zakat. If they did not discharge your
zakat according to Shariah, your zakat obligation will not be fulfilled.
And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Source:
http://www.albalagh.net/qa/zakat_questionz.shtml
http://www.ihh.org.tr
