What is Zakat?
Zakat is a type of mandatory giving in Islam (like khums). Its is applicable to everyone who poses certain things like wheat, barley, dates, raisins, camels, cows, goats, gold and silver when you have certain quantity of them
Zakat in the Holy Quran
There are various verses that point to the belief of Zakat, one of them being:
إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ
“Your master is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe: those who establish the prayer and pay the zakat while they are in ruku” (5:55)
Who can Zakat be given to
- It can be given to the poor
- It can be given to those non-Muslims who, if Zakat is given to them, may become inclined to Islam
- It may be spent in the way of Allah; meaning, in those things that have a common benefit for the Muslims or a benefit for Islam – for example, building a well, bridge or Masjid
