Principles of Islam
60. Zakat
(Almsgiving)
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60. ZAKAT
(ALMSGIVING)
By
zakat
is meant that fixed amount which is
subtracted at the end of each year by affluent
people. In this way the remaining wealth is
purified. By one part of it being given to the cause
of God, the rest is rendered lawfully usable for the
almsgiver.
Deducting
zakat
from one’s earning is a material
acknowledgement of the fact that the actual giver is
God. Since the giver is God, the recipient is duty
bound to spend it in His cause.
The law of
zakat
is to take from those who have
wealth and give it away to those who do not. This
rotation of wealth is a way to balance social
inequality. In this way the wealthy are reminded of
what is due from them to those who are less well-
favoured in life or who are totally destitute.
Zakat
is an important part of the Islamic code of
ethics. On the one hand,
zakat
purifies the giver of
feelings like miserliness and selfishness, and