SPIRIT OF ISLAM APRIL 2O18

7 Spirit of Islam Issue 64 April 2018 Islamic law empowers the Islamic government or community to collect the zakat and to keep separate account of it. Zakat funds must be spent on the categories specified in the Quran in chapter 2 verse 177. Zakat funds basically are to be used for the social welfare of the people which includes education and other essential services. There are two forms of charity in Islam—obligatory and voluntary, which are respectively called Zakat and Sadaqah. Zakat is from the verb Zakah , which signifies “to thrive”, “to be wholesome”, “to be pure”, meaning purification. Giving up a portion of one’s wealth, which is in excess of what one needs for one’s own sustenance, is a purifying process. Deducting the zakat amount from one’s earning is a material acknowledgement of the fact that the actual giver is God. And since the giver is God, the recipient is duty-bound to spend it in His cause. In spirit, zakat is an act of worship, while in its external form, it is the carrying out of a social service. Zakat is thus not just the payment of a tax, but is of great religious significance. Its importance is underscored by the fact that the Quran treats it on par with prayer. The Quran frequently enjoins believers to perform the prayer and pay the zakat and even goes to the extent of saying that one cannot attain righteousness unless one spends out of one’s wealth for the love of God. It also says: By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give of that which you love. (3: 92) There are many teachings of the Prophet which stress the importance of giving sadaqah in the holy month of Ramazan. Therefore, in this month of fasting, almost all those who can afford, help poor people in one way or another. Such great importance is attached to charity that the month of Ramazan has been fixed for individuals to be trained in the practice of charity. It has therefore been made into an institution in order to give it permanence and regularity.