Importance of Zakat | The Compulsory Charity in Islam

Zakat is an Arabic word which means “purification”. Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran: “Take from their wealth so that you might purify and sanctify them” (Quran 9:103). Zakat is the third pillar of Islam and compulsory on every financially stable Muslim that is wealthy enough to afford to it. Zakat is basically the compulsory giving of a pre-set proportion of one’s wealth to charity. All eligible individuals are required to pay an annual percentage of 2.5% of the wealth and property they own as Zakat. Its significance could be realized from the fact that Allah made it a pillar and by making it a pillar, Allah makes almost everyone experience it either as a giver or as a receiver.

Zakat has so much significance that Allah (SWT) combined it with salah on many occasions in the Holy Quran. Zakat is considered as compulsory charity and an obligation for those who have received their wealth from Almighty Allah to respond to those who are less fortunate in society. The basic purpose of making Zakat a compulsory charity is to purify a Muslim’s heart from all forms of greed and selfishness. The compulsory charity Zakat must be paid on different categories of property in which we have gold, silver, money, livestock, agricultural productions, and other business commodities. Zakat is payable each year after one year’s retention.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “The believer’s shade on the Day of Resurrection will be his charity” (Tirmidhi). From this hadith, we can conclude that Allah Almighty will shade and shelter those who give charity and care for the needy people. The Muslim’s sacrifice in this life will be their protection on the Day of Judgment which will benefit them forever. Just like prayer (salah), which is both an individual and communal responsibility, zakat also expresses a Muslim’s worship of and thanksgiving to Almighty Allah by supporting those who are in need.

Zakat reminds us that everything we have belongs to Allah (SWT). People are given their wealth as a trust from Allah Almighty, and zakat is intended to free Muslims from the love of money. Islam teaches that people should acquire wealth with the intention of spending it on their own needs and the needs of others. Allah Almighty mentioned in the Quran: “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect (zakat) and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the (stranded) traveler – an obligation (imposed) by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (Quran, 9:60)

Other than zakat which obviously is the compulsory charity, the Quran and Hadith also stress on giving Sadaqah, or voluntary charity, which is proposed for the needy people of the society. In the Quran Allah almighty emphasizes feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, helping those who are in need. The more one helps, the more Allah Almighty helps the person, and the more one gives, the more Allah (SWT) gives the person in return. One feels he is taking care of others and Allah is taking care of him/her.

In short, zakat develops the sense of purification from greed, develops a circulation of money for the economy. It also encourages people to develop a better society that lives in peace and harmony. May Almighty Allah give us the strength to fulfill this obligation and following the right path so that we will be considered in true followers of Islam! Ameen.

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source: quranreading.com

Seeking repentance: Killing two birds with one stone.

To err is human, to forgive is divine. This well-known adage clearly points out that human beings by nature often tend to make mistakes and commit sins.

Islam, as a perfect religion, agrees to this truth as no man is perfect in this world.

As the Holy month of Ramadan gives us a strong and effective training to build a good character it is apt to reflect on the importance of seeking repentance.

“Truly, Allah loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves”. — (Sura Baqarah 222).

Repentance helps believers kill two birds with one stone. When the forgiveness is accepted, they not only get relief free from bad deeds but also get merits for this unique act of worship.

The best among all people, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who is sinless, repented to Allah more than 70 times a day. Hence we should be hasty to genuinely seek repentance and forgiveness for all our mistakes, misdeeds and sins that are committed overtly or covertly.

Today, with the dominance of technology, some or a few of us can commit mistakes intentionally or otherwise.

With sincere repentance, one can simply forget his or her unpleasant past and turn over a new leaf as one who repents from sin is like one who has not sinned.

Allah, the Almighty, confirms the success that is given to those who sincerely repent:

“................. And beg Allah to forgive you all, Oh believers, that you may be successful.” (Surah An Noor- Verse 31)

There are several benefits that a repentant gets through this humble act of worship. It removes his guilt, fills the heart with happiness, brings the repenting person closer to Allah thus giving him the right path for eternal success.

The victim or the affected party also gets a relief when the offender asks forgiveness while restoring the latter’s right.

Islam is the perfect way of life that ensures every member of society — Muslim or non- Muslin, the rich or the poor, male or female —gets equal treatment and justice since it promotes peace and pluralism.

When a person goes astray, he is given the rare opportunity putting himself back on the right track. Repentance is the easiest step Allah has given to the believers. The doors of Allah are open for every one for repentance with three main conditions. They are:

1. Recognizing one’s sins and mistakes
2. Feeling ashamed of violating Allah’s trust of complete submissions to his commands
3. Making a promise never to repeat such bad behavior

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source: saudigazette.com.sa

HAJJ AS WORSHIP

HAJJ AS WORSHIP

Hajj is to of leave one's relatives, wealth, and all the secular comforts. It is to enduring difficulties and hardships for Allah’s sake.

"And proclaim among people the pilgrimage; they will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path.”
Holy Qur'an (22:27)
Hajj is a form of worship, where physical and spiritual factors intertwine.   

It is, therefore, a physical form of worship in which the worshipper gives of himself physically and goes through hardships in the way of Allah, Showing his complete servitude to Allah and his independence from any power other than Him. This neat target of Hajj is the goal of any worship in Islam as a whole and it has to be for the sake of Allah uniquely. It is the absolute purpose of man's worship. Man's conscience completely awakens and man is rendered, purified and cleansed of all evil and vice, provided sincerity of intention is involved.

For this target, Hajj has been determined as one of the five Islamic pillars and the Holy Our'an regards it as Allah's right over His servants:

“…it is the duly of mankind towards Allah to make the pilgrimage to the House, whoever can afford the way there;...”

Holy Qur'an (3:97)

Hajj is a basic pillar of religion, and a backbone of faith. Traditions and texts reported from the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his pure ancestry have all pointed  to the importance of Hajj.

It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Prayer was not ordained, Hajj and Tawaf were not made incumbent on the faithful, and rites were not conveyed to man, but to remember Allah.”
And he (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said:

" Those who perform Hajj and Umrah are the guests of Allah. Allah grants them whatever what they ask Him, accepts their prayers, and compensates them for their expenditures and good deeds.”

Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq is reported to have said:

"So long as the Ka’ ba is secure, so is the religion”

And he also said:

"If one should leave off Hajj, when he is capable of performing it, with no legitimate excuse, then he has neglected an Islamic rite.”

Islam gives Hajj a primordial consideration. It even offers Islamic states the ability to send a number of Muslims to Mecca, even forcibly. The main purpose is to ensure the freshness as well as dynamism of the Islamic rites. When the pilgrims cannot attend the journey, the Islamic state is responsible for paying the traveling expenses to Mecca to allow them perform their rites.

Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq is reported to have said:

"Should all the people abandon Hajj, the governor can oblige them to perform it. Should they stop performing hajj to the tomb of the Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ,the governor is authorized to order them to do so, if they are penniless, he should pay them from the treasury.”
It was reported from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq

"If anyone of you had amounts of gold as huge as Abu-Qubais (a mountain in Arabia) and spent it in the way of Allah, its reward would never be equal to the reward of Hajj (from Allah), A dirham disbursed by the hajj is worth 2000 dirhams in the way of Allah.”

He is also reported to have said:

"Hajj is the jihad (holy struggle for the sake of Allah) of the weak.”

Moreover, He said:"He who is not prevented from the Hajj by an obvious necessity, a tyrannical ruler or a disease which confines him (or her) at home and dies without having performed the Hajj, might as well die a Jew or a Christian.”

Source: go-makkah.com