Cii Radio|Ayesha Ismail|15 May 2018|28 Shabaan 1439
Islam is built on five Pillars: Testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (SAW) is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayer, giving Zakaah, performing pilgrimage and fasting during Ramadaan. (Bukhari and Muslim)
Zakaah is mentioned thirty-two times in the Qur’an, of which twenty-eight is associated with prayer (salah), forever joining our communion with Allah to our responsibilities towards our fellow man. In several verses, observing the payment of Zakaah is a pre-condition for entering the fellowship of Islam.
Allah Almighty proclaims: “But if they repent, establish regular prayer and give Zakaah, they are your brethren in faith.” (Q9: 11)
Zakaah is one of the five fundamental institutions of Islam. It is second only to prayer as an essential article of the faith. Zakaah forms an integral, compulsory and inseparable part of the Islamic way of life. The non-observance or neglect of Zakaah is tantamount to a negation of the faith itself. The early Meccan revelations emphasized the moral aspect of Zakaah and persuaded Muslims to offer it voluntarily. It was not until the second year of Hijrah that Zakaah was made obligatory on all Muslims.
As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, zakaah is a religious obligation for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It is not a charitable contribution, and is considered to be a tax, or obligatory alms. Zakaah is payable and calculated at a fixed rate of one fortieth or 2.5 % on the possession of wealth in the form of gold, silver, merchandise and cash by a person who possesses the Nisaab (the minimum amount of wealth which makes one liable to pay Zakaah). Household effects such as furniture, crockery, personal clothing etc. are generally exempted from the application of Zakaah.
The funds collected through Zakaah are meant to be used specifically for the betterment of people in poverty and uplift their lives. That’s where SANZAF proves very instrumental. SANZAF is a faith-based, socio-welfare and educational organisation that strives to facilitate the empowerment of needy families through the efficient collection and effective distribution of Zakaah and other Sadaqah in a proactive and cost effective way through projects – with dignity, sincerity and a shared responsibility. All in the service of the community and for the pleasure of Allah (SWT).
If you are having problems calculating how much zakaah you should pay, Or maybe you need to ask a question, then visit www.sanzaf.org.za for a direct link to SANZAF’s online zakaah question and answer platform.
Still need more info? Then click here… No stress, SANZAF’s user friendly website has all the info you require.
