Fiqh
Who pays, how much, and to whom
Once a year, 2.5% of savings: the right of the poor.
5 min, Intro, Draft written with AI help: awaiting scholar review
Part 1 of 4
Zakat means purification. It is not voluntary charity: once your wealth passes a threshold, a share of it belongs to the poor, and paying it purifies the rest.
Qur'an 9:103
خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةࣱ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنࣰ لَّهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ١٠٣
103 Take charity from their wealth [O Prophet] to cleanse and purify them, and pray for them. Your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
Lesson
Paying zakat purifies the wealth that is kept.
Part 2 of 4
An adult Muslim whose zakatable wealth is at or above the nisab, a minimum threshold, at the start and end of a lunar year (Hanafi view). The nisab is about 85 to 87.5 g of gold or about 595 to 612 g of silver.
Lesson
Below the threshold, nothing is due.
Part 3 of 4
Above the threshold, the rate is 2.5% (one fortieth) of cash, savings, gold, silver, and goods held for trade. Your home, car, clothes and tools for daily use are exempt.
Lesson
One fortieth of what you hold, once a year.
Part 4 of 4
The Qur'an names eight groups: the poor, the needy, those who collect it, those whose hearts are being won over, freeing slaves, people in debt, the cause of God, and stranded travellers.
Qur'an 9:60
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَٰتُ لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلۡمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلۡعَٰمِلِينَ عَلَيۡهَا وَٱلۡمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَفِي ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلۡغَٰرِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِۖ فَرِيضَةࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣰ ٦٠
60 Alms [i.e., zakah] is only for the poor and the needy; those in charge of it; those whose hearts may be attracted [to Islam]; for freeing those in bondage; for those in debt; for the cause of Allah; and for [the stranded] traveler – as ordained by Allah, for Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.
Lesson
The Qur'an itself says where it goes.
Reflect, just for you
Seen by lamplight. It gives more each time.
Once a year, 2.5% of savings: the right of the poor.