Md. Zillur Rahaman :
Islam has made it obligatory for the suffering humanity to protect the interests of the poor and the just. In Islamic economics, there are guidelines for the distribution of all kinds of wealth, and there are specific guidelines for maintaining economic balance in human society through zakat. One class of rich people will build mountains of wealth and money, while the other class of poor people will be afflicted with the cruel scourge of extreme hunger and poverty, such a heinous practice Islam never supports. Islam has largely preserved the rights of the poor, the rights of the poorest of the poor through wealth, generosity of wealth and justice. The rights of the poor over the wealth of the rich have been repeatedly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.
The most important thing in physical worship is prayer, just as the most important thing in financial worship is Zakat. Due to their boundless importance, Allah has described these two acts of worship side by side in the Holy Qur’an. The importance of Zakat in Islam is immense. Allah mentions Zakat along with prayers in 82 places in the Qur’aan. Besides, prayers and zakat are very closely related to each other. Many of us donate a portion of our money as Zakat without settling or properly counting the accounts. In fact, such donations are not considered as Zakat, they can be ordinary donations. At the time of paying zakat, the amount of nisab has to be calculated properly and then the right of zakat is realized.
Conditions for making zakat obligatory:
1. Nesab amount to own the goods, i.e, to own seven and a half tons of gold, or fifty-two and a half tons of silver, or the equivalent of cash or business goods;
2. Becoming a Muslim. Zakat is not obligatory on the disbeliever;
3. Grow up Zakat is not obligatory on minors;
4. To be wise and conscientious. Zakat is not obligatory on a person who is always insane, even if he has a fair amount of wealth;
5. To be free. Zakat is not obligatory on slaves;
6. Having full ownership over the goods. Zakat is not obligatory on incomplete ownership;
7. The amount of goods in excess of the daily necessities;
8. Nesab amount of goods spent one year;
9. Growing goods. The virtue of zakat, Allaah says, “And He is the Best of providers”. (Surah Saba, verse: 39)
That does not pay zakat, he will go to Hell on the Day of Resurrection. (Tabarani). According to another hadith, if a person to whom Allah has given wealth does not pay zakat on that wealth, then his wealth will be turned into a bald venomous snake on the Day of Resurrection. He will have two black spots on his eyes which will be wrapped around his neck like a chain on the Day of Resurrection. Then the snake will bite his jaw and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’ (Bukhari Sharif, 1/188)
Verse 60 of Surah Tawba mentions 8 categories of Zakat:
1. Fakir. Poor person who does not have more than one or two meals a day;
2. Miskin whose expenditure is more than income. For example, a person has an income of ‘twenty thousand Taka’ but his own or someone in the family has an expenditure of ‘forty thousand’ Taka behind his illness. Give him;
3. Zakat collection and distribution employees;
4. Neo-Muslim means giving to those who have been deprived of family, social and financial due to leaving other religions;
5. For emancipation. (If at present a person is found to be in a state of innocence);
6. For debt relief. Zakat may be paid to those who are in debt for a reasonable reason to meet the basic or necessary needs of life;
7. Fee Sabillah or Jihad. That is to say, Zakat can be given to all the mujahids who are engaged in jihad with the infidels or infidels in order to make Islam a winner;
8. Traveler. If a person is in need due to special reasons while traveling, Zakat can be paid to him no matter how much wealth he has in his house.
That is why the helpless have determined their right to the rich to lead a normal life. In the Islamic economy, Zakat Fitrah, Sadaqah, and charity are meant only for the poor; in fact these are the rights of the poor to get from their rich brothers. Through Zakat, it is possible to alleviate the want of the needy, miserable, helpless, hungry and destitute poor to rehabilitate them economically. The main purpose of the Zakat system in Islam is to provide humanitarian service as well as peace and security in the socio-economic life of the poor Muslims.
(Zillur Rahaman is a banker).
