The Spirit of Zakah

Zakah, in reality, is a form of sacrifice meant to underlie those ethical values known in Islam as Huququl Ibad, that is, the fulfilment of one’s responsibilities towards others. Thus the spirit of Zakah is the service of humanity.

It requires an annual contribution of 2.5 per cent of an individual’s wealth and assets, not merely a percentage of his yearly income. In Islam, the true owner of things is not man but God. People are given their wealth as trust from God. Therefore, Zakah, far from being viewed as “charity”, is an obligation—for those who have received their wealth from God—to help the weaker members of the community: “...the poor, orphans, and widows, to free slaves and debtors, and to support those working for the cause of God” (9:60).