The ways in which a society benefits from giving and receiving Zakah
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عن أبي أيوب: أن رجلا قال: يا رسول الله، أخبرني بعمل يدخلني الجنة. فقال تعبد الله لا تشرك به شيئا، وتقيم الصلاة، وتؤتي الزكاة، وتصل الرحم . ( البخاري )
Aboo Ayyoob reported: A man said to the Prophet ﷺ . “Tell me of such a deed as will make me enter Paradise.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “In order to enter (Paradise) you should worship Allah [Alone] without ascribing any partners to Him, and establish Salah, pay Zakah, and keep good relations with your kith and kin.” (Al-Bukhaan)
Literally, the word Zakah means cleanliness, purity and wholesome goodness. Technically the word Zakah would refer to the pillar of Islam which requires an able Muslim to give a specified portion of his/her wealth to specified groups of people.
The literal meaning is important when attached to the actual practice of setting aside a portion of one’s wealth for the poor and needy (Zakah). The remarkable emergence of the actual meaning of Zakah is significant because it means that by giving to others, one’s wealth becomes pure and clean. A person’s wealth remains impure if some of it is not given to the poor and needy. The inner self of the person who does not pay Zakah remains impure, weak, dull and lifeless. Every Muslim should open his/her heart to the needy by showing them generosity, and assisting them.
Giving Zakah holds many benefits for society. Some benefits are:
- It promotes the feeling of brotherhood among Muslims. The believers should care for one another and see to one another’s needs. The believers are like brothers to each other. Allah says,
إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌۭ فَأَصْلِحُوا۟ بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ ( سورة الحجرات :١٠)
“The believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. And fear Allah that you may receive mercy.” (Soorat al-Hujurat: 10)
- It creates love in the hearts of community members for each other.
- It discourages class differences in a society by seeing to the needs of those who have less.
- It establishes a society in which there is greater equity and equality.
- It creates appreciation in the hearts of all members of the community. The rich realize the blessings they have and become thankful for it and the poor appreciate the helping hand extended towards them.
- It relieves the difficulties of those in need.
- It helps the student who would otherwise be unable to afford further education.
- It feeds the orphan.
- It helps people out of debt.
- It assists the stranded travelers.
The payment of Zakah covers all these aspects and merges the society into a familial whole. If a person helps a neighbor with the wealth that he/she possesses, then that wealth will circulate and return to bring many more benefits. For example, if one raises an orphan and gives him/her an education, which enables him/her to become an earning member of the community, thus contributing to the overall wealth of the community. It is worth noticing that people who spend money selflessly for the good of the community tend to flourish.
Zakah is indispensable for the Muslim community as it achieves reform, both financially and spiritually. It eliminates misery in our communities and consolidates the Islamic economy, leading to its stability and prosperity. The Quraan sees Zakah as a distinctive feature of the faithful community as it is mentioned:
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ( سورة التوبة : ٧١ )
“The believing men and women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give Zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.” [Soorat at-Tawbah : 71]
The Sunnah places special emphasis on the importance of Zakah.
It is also clear that the benefits of Zakah on the Muslim society are far-reaching.
The giving of charity (Zakah) is a pillar of Islam because it stretches beyond monetary gains. It benefits us spiritually, economically and socially and lends to all other spheres of human existence as well.
Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
عن أسماء بنت أبي بكر رضي الله عنهما : أنها جاءت إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال لا توعي فيوعي الله عليك ارضخي ما استطعت ” ( البخاري )
“Do not shut your money bag; otherwise Allah too will withhold His Blessings from you. Spend (in Allah’s Cause) as much as you can afford.” [Al-Bukhar]
