Section : The Recipients of Zakah. There are eight categories of the beneficiaries of zakah which Allah specifies in the Qur’an: “The alms are only for the poor and the needy, for those who collect them, for those whose hearts…
Section : The amount of zakah given to a poor person. Zakah aims at supporting the poor by satisfying their needs. A specified amount is therefore given to them on a continuous basis to alleviate their state of poverty. This…
Section : Is zahah given to a person who can work?:. Individuals strong in body and earning their living are not entitled to zakah. Their position is similar to that of the rich. 1. ‘Ubaidullah ibn ‘Adiyy al-Khiyar reported: “Two…
Section : The owner who lacks self-sufficiency. One whose possessions reach a nisab but are still insufficient for his needs, due to the size of his family or the high cost of living, will be considered well-off and subject to…
Section : Collectors of Zakah:. Zakah collectors are officials appointed by the leader or his deputy to collect it from the rich. Among them are the custodians of zakah, shepherds and clerks for its administration. They must be Muslims and…
Section : Certain people, though well-off, can still receive zakah:. Abu Sa’id reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: “Sadaqah is not allowed for the well-off except for the following five: an administrator of zakah, a purchaser of…
Section : What zakah collectors take from zakah is their wages for work done:. Abdullah ibn as-Sa’di related that he came from Syria to see ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, who asked him: “Is it true that you perform a certain job…
Section : The wages ought to be sufficient to cover legitimate needs:. AlMustawrid ibn Shaddad relates that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: “If someone performed a job for us and has no house, let him have a house;…
Section : Reconcilation of hearts:. This applies primarily to that group of people whose hearts, due to their weak Islam, need to be reconciled or strengthened for Islam. In this case, zakah is distributed to rid Muslims of their evil,…
Section : Leaders. People who are leaders and notables among the Muslims and influential among their non-believing kinsmen deserve and if given sadaqah, there is hope that their kinsmen will become Muslims. Such was the case of Abu Bakr giving…
Section : Recently converted prominent people. Prominent people among Muslims, though recently converted to Islam and as such of weak faith but still obeyed by their people, if given sadaqah and their counsel sought in jihad and other matters could…
Section : Muslim residents at the borders. Muslims who live at the frontiers, close to enemy land, can also be given sadaqah as an incentive to defend the Islamic territory. The author of al-Manar claims that this falls under the…
Section : The zakah employees. Muslims who are employed to collect zakah, either through persuasion or force, from those who are not willing to give it can also qualify as its recipients for it is better to use such people…
Section : The unbelievers, recipients of zakah. As for the unbelievers, they are of two categories: 1. Those who may come to Islam through the reconciliation of their hearts: Such was the case of Safwan ibn ‘Umayyah whom the Prophet,…
Section : Freeing Captives. This category includes two kinds of slaves: contracted slaves (rnukazabun) and regular slaves. Both categories were aided with sadaqah to obtain their freedom. Al-Bara’ reported: “A man came to the Prophet, upon whom be peace, and…