The Five Pillars Of Islam: The Third PILLAR — Alms Giving (Zakat)
Alms giving (Zakat in Arabic) is the THIRD PILLAR of Islam. The word itself means “blessing”, meaning that it blesses and purifies the wealth from which it is taken.
The Qur’an mentions Zakat many times along with prayer Salat to emphasise its importance. For example:
“My mercy encompasses all things, but I will specify it for the righteous who give Zakat”
(Qur’an 7:156).
Your real allies are GOD and His messenger, and the believers who observe the SALAT AND GIVE ZAKAT, and they bow down.
(Qur’an 5:55)
and be constant in prayer, and spend in charity, and bow down in prayer with all who thus bow down.
(Qur’an 2:43)
Zakat’s importance can be seen from how often Muslim jurists dealt with the topic. To give just one example Ibn Taimiah said:
“The soul of one who gives Zakah is blessed and so is his wealth.”
Muslims are required to show concern for and solidarity with the poor. Since the time of the Prophet Mohammed every Muslim has been expected to donate a minimum of one-fortieth (2½%) of assets that have been owned over a year in charity. There are no exceptions to this requirement Zakat is mandatory for every Muslim adult who is in good mental health.
It may be helpful for Westerners to think of Zakat as a duty to perform charity for the community as a whole - a practical expression of concern for the poorest in the community and is additional to the requirement to support needy or poor family members such as grandparents, parents, spouses, and children.
The ways in which Zakat is handled can vary greatly from country to country and the rules for calculating it can be complex. Traditionally the matter was dealt with informally and in private - typically it involved helping needy or poor neighbours. In modern times however Zakat is often handled by charities and Muslim charities have become important international aid agencies.
