Islam As It Is
The Five Pillars of Islam
~ 107 ~
Man himself plays only a very small part in
obtaining whatever he owns in this world. Were he
not to have the benefit of God’s endless bounty, he
would neither be able to grow grain, raise cattle, set
up industries nor accomplish any other work of a
useful nature. The system of life created for him by
God, meeting as it does all of his requirements from
those of his inner being to those of his external
environment, is one of the greatest perfection. Were
God to withdraw even a single one of His blessings,
all man’s schemes would lie in ruins and all his
efforts would be in vain. All productivity would
grind to a halt, and life itself would come to a
standstill.
The observance of
zakat
is a way of acknowledging
this fact of life. Islam desires that private wealth
should be considered as belonging to God, and that
He should have his rightful share in whatever gains
are made. Although a minimum donation has been
stipulated, there is no limit to the amount of money
which can be given to support God’s rightful cause.
It is the practice then for Muslims to set aside a
certain sum annually, and to donate it to some
worthy cause.
