Treatise on Zakat (3)
Similar is the case for the wealth or money of orphans and mentally retarded people; when it reaches the Nisab and a year passes over it the Zakat must be paid, and their guardians should give out the Zakat on their behalf when a year passes over the goods. According to the Hadith narrated by […]
Similar is the case for the wealth or money of orphans and mentally retarded people; when it reaches the Nisab and a year passes over it the Zakat must be paid, and their guardians should give out the Zakat on their behalf when a year passes over the goods. According to the Hadith narrated by Mu’adh, when he was sent to Yemen, the Prophet told him:
“Verily Allah imposes upon them Sadaqah (alms) on their wealth to be taken from the rich and then given to the poor.”
Zakat is Allah’s right and so it is not allowed to give it to someone not deserving it with the intention to gain his favour; nor a person, who doesn’t deserve it, is allowed to use it for making gain or saving himself from harm. Rather a Muslim should give out Zakat to those who deserve it on the sole ground that they are among the people entitled to it and not with any other intention. It should be given out with good faith and solely to please Allah and in this way the giver will get Allah’s reward and replacement.
Allah categorizes those who deserve Zakat in His Noble Qur’an:
“As-Sadaqat (here it means Zakat) are only for the Fuqara (poor), and Al-Masakin (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds) and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah’s cause (i.e. for the Mujahidun – those fighting in the holy battles) and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (9:60)
From this glorious verse ending with the two great attributes of Allah we get the warning that He, Allah, is aware of the state of His slaves and of those among them who deserve or do not deserve Zakat. In this verse Allah further tells us that He is Wise in His Shariah and so he does not put anything except in the right position; and hence if anything about His Shariah is not clear to anyone, even then he should be satisfied with it and obey its commands.
May Allah grant us knowledge in His religion and sincerity in implementing it, and help us in the performing of deeds leading to His Pleasure, and save us from the deeds leading to His Anger. Verily, He is All-Hearer and Nearer. May Allah bless His slave and His Messenger and his family and his Companions.
Concluded.
A compilation by Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bin Abdullahi bin Baz