Islam is founded on five pillars eg shahadah (Islamic testimony), salah (obligatory prayer), sawm (fasting in the month of Ramadan), zakah (paying alms) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) (Sahih al-Bukhari). Among them, zakah is awfully noteworthy for establishing an economically balanced society. All other pillars are somehow related to the person who performs them but zakah is related to both, to the person who pays it and to others in the society especially the people who receive it. A proper payment of zakah can play a good role towards alleviating the poverty from the society. In the present context of Bangladesh, a developing country, zakah has a very influential role to upbeat changes of the society if it is paid in the proper way and to the appropriate channels.
Let us know the meaning of zakah, an Arabic word. Literally, it means to grow, to purify, to sanctify, to increase, etc and in Shari'ah (Islamic law), it refers to the determined share of wealth prescribed by Allah to be distributed among deserving categories. In the Qur'an, the word occurs thirty (30) times; among them, twenty-six times it is associated with another significant pillar salat in the same verse. For instance, Allah says: "And perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and pay Zakah…". (al-Baqarah: 2:43).
Zakah is a very significant obligatory 'ibadah' (worship) in Islam. It purifies the person's soul and not only increases the wealth but also protects it. According to al Nawawi's report from al Wahidi, the share of wealth that should be paid from a Muslim to he deservers is called zakah because it increases the funds from which it is taken and protects them from being lost or destroyed. Another prominent Muslim scholar Ibn Taimiyah said that the inner soul of the zakah payer becomes better, and his wealth becomes cleansed.
According to the Qur'an and Hadith, there are two kinds of punishment for not paying zakah such as (1) punishment in the life hereafter and (2) punishment in this world. Regarding the punishment in the life hereafter, the ultimate and infinite life after death, narrated Abu Hurairah, "The messenger of Allah, (pbuh) said: "He who is given wealth by Allah but he does not pay its zakah, that wealth is made for him, on the Day of Judgment, the form of a huge bald serpent with two horns, encircling that person and squeezing him all day, then holding him by lips telling him, 'I am your wealth, your treasure that you hoarded'. Then the Prophet quoted the verse, "and let not those who covetously withhold the gift that Allah hath given them of His grace, think that it is good for them. Nay, it will be the worse for them. Soon shall the things which they covetously withheld be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Judgment (Al Imran: 3:183)". (Sahih al-Bukhari).
Additionally, the Sunnah did not merely threaten of punishment in the life hereafter only for those who do not pay zakah, but also went on to warn them of a punishment in this worldly life. Sunnah mentions various types of punishment in this world for not paying zakah such as punishment from Allah and a penalty from the State. A hadith states about the punishment of Allah, "There are no people, who do not pay zakah, left without being made to suffer by God through disasters, or famine or drought." (al Targhibwa al Tarhib) In another saying, "Any people who do not pay zakah on their wealth, verily they will be prevented rain from sky except for animals and livestock." (Ibn Majah) And also, "Zakah is never intermingled with any amount of wealth without destroying and rotting it." (al-Bayhaqi). On the one hand, the legal penalty is mentioned by the Prophet (pbuh): "He who pays it seeking the reward from God will be rewarded and he who refuses to pay it, we shall take it from him, along with half of his wealth, and by the authority given to us by our Lord. The clan of Muhammad is not allowed to take anything of its proceeds." (Sunan al-Ahmad and Abu Dawud). Moreover, for the state government, the fighting against the people who reject to pay zakat is permissible in Islam as we can find the first caliph of Islam, Abu Bakr who did it during his rule. (Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Muslim jurists agree upon that zakah is obligatory on the Muslim only who has reached puberty, who is sane, who is free, and who owns the minimum assigned, nisab (minimum 87.48 grams gold or 612 grams silver or the equivalent value of zakatable wealth), according to the conditions in Shari'ah (Islamic Law). It should be mentioned here that zakah is not required from any non-Muslim. However, there is an argument that is zakah required from the wealth of children who owns the minimum assigned or not? According to Yusuf al-Qardawi, yes it is required. (see for details: Fiqh al-Zakah, vol. 1, 80-88)
While zakah is from the rich people for the poor people towards establishing an economically balanced society, Islam confines the eight (8) channels of zakah distribution. In the Qur'an, Allah says: "Alms (zakah) are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom." (al-Tawbah: 9:60)
The people may raise the question that should zakah be collected or paid and distributed individually or collectively? Most of the Muslim jurists agree upon that the collection of zakah and its distribution collectively is more useful than individual. For example, if anyone pays his zakah amount of 2500 tk to a person or a group of person like he/she distributes cloths to the poor; surely it will not be useful for the better future since the objective of zakah is to make a better future. Therefore, there should have either the arrangement of collecting zakah from the government or at least a group of people or organizations who will do it.
There are few organizations working on zakah management in Bangladesh. Among them, Center for Zakah Management (CZM) has been playing a good role towards collecting zakah and distributing it in an effective way. For ensuring the maqasidal-Shari'ah (objectives of Islamic law) in zakah, the CZM is also conducting researches on how it can be utilized properly in the benefiting way in the context of Bangladesh.
To conclude, it could be said that the zakah is an obligatory 'ibadah' for Muslim rich people who own the minimum amount of wealth (nisab). It purifies soul of the payer, increases the wealth and protects it from destruction and most importantly benefits the poor people that plays a significant role towards alleviating the poverty. Moreover, there are many questions related to zakah which people may need to know the answers. Specially, those who want to pay zakah may refer to the book entitled "Fiqh al-Zakah" by Yusuf al-Qardawi. Moreover, another book entitled "Understanding Business zakat" published by CZM can be also useful for the businessmen in the context of Bangladesh.
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