By Jamaal ad-Din Zarabozo
'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (saw)
say,
"Islaam is built upon five [foundations]: The testimony that none is worthy
of worship save Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, the
establishment of the prayer, the giving of the zakah, the pilgrimage to the
House and the fast of Ramadhan." (recorded by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
In the famous hadith of the Angel Jibreel coming to the Prophet (saw) to ask
him questions in order to teach the people about the religion, he asked the
Prophet (saw), "What is Islaam?" The Prophet (saw) answered "Islaam is
that you testify that there is none worthy of worship save Allaah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, that you establish the prayer, that you
give the zakah, that you fast Ramadhan, and that you make the pilgrimage to
the House if you have the means to do so" (Muslim).
This is what Islaam is built upon. These are the foundations of one's
Islaam. If these foundations or pillars are strong, Allaah willing, the
rest of one's faith and religion will also be sound, correct and strong.
However if these pillars are weak or not sound, it is not surprising that
there may be some problems further on down the line. In fact, one should
expect that there will be some problems or weaknesses in the person's
submission to Allaah and his faith.
The most important is the shahadatayn, the testifying that there is none
worthy of worship save Allaah and that Muhammad (saw) is His Messenger.
Hopefully, every Muslim is aware of how important that pillar is and does
his
best to make sure that he understands and fulfils his testimony to the best
of his ability.
In most people's minds, obviously, second in importance comes the prayer.
In fact, a number of scholars are of the opinion that the one who does not
pray becomes a disbeliever.
What comes next? Everyone is well familiar with Ramadhan since we fast it
together and everyone prepares for its arrival. Similarly, the pilgrimage
is something that is well known and some people prepare their lives or save
for a number of years in order to complete the pilgrimage to Makkah.
But what comes most alongside prayer in the Qur'aan? It is not the fasting
of Ramadhan or the pilgrimage. Instead, it is the payment of zakah. Many
Muslims have a tendency to overlook this important pillar, perhaps because
it is not done by the community all at once or because there is no
celebration after its payment.
But look how Allaah describes it. Note the following verse of the Qur'aan
where Allaah orders the Companions to fight the mushrikeen wherever we can:
"Then when the sacred months have passed, kill the polytheists wherever you
find them, and capture them and besiege them and prepare for them each and
every ambush. But if they repent and offer prayer and give zakah, then
leave their way free. Verily Allaah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful"
(at-Tawbah, 5)
In this verse, Allaah orders the Companions to fight them until when?
Allaah explicitly states that they will be left free from fighting only
after they repent, establish the prayer and pay the zakah.
Shortly afterwards in the same surah, following the same line of discussion,
Allaah says:
"But if they repent, offer prayer and give the zakah, then they are your
brethren in religion" (at-Tawbah, 11)
In these two verses one can catch a glimpse of the importance of zakah in
Allaah's sight. The disbelievers will become our brethren in the religion -
that is, they will truly be part of this religion - when they repent, pray
and give the zakah.
In fact, if someone believes in zakah yet he refuses to pay it, he can be
fought. This is exactly what happened during the time of the Companions.
After the death of the Prophet (saw) some of the tribes apostatised and
others refused to pay the zakah. Abu Bakr, the first khalifah, fought them
and declared, "By Allaah, I will fight anyone who distinguishes between
prayer and zakah. Zakah is the compulsory right to be taken from the
property. By Allaah! If they refuse to pay me even a she-kid which they
used to pay at the time of Allaah's Messenger (saw), I would fight them for
withholding it".
Therefore, zakah is a very serious matter. It truly is something essential
to this religion of ours. It is one of its pillars. If we do not tend to
it or if we are negligent of it, then we are being negligent with respect to
one of the foundations of our faith. Indeed, in the opinion of a small
number of scholars, this is the only other act - other than prayers - that
if one does not perform it due to laziness or such, then he is a
disbeliever.
What kind of result do you expect from such negligence? Allaah has made it
clear that there is a great punishment for such an act. The following verse
of the Qur'aan is first and foremost a reference to those who do not pay the
zakah on their wealth:
"And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allaah has bestowed
on them of His Bounty (wealth) think that it is good for them. Nay, it will
be worse for them. The things which they covetously withheld shall be tied
to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection. And to Allaah
belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allaah is
Well-Acquainted with all that you do". (al-'Imraan, 180)
The Prophet (saw) described the punishment that will come to those who do
not pay the proper zakah on their wealth. In one hadith in Sahih
al-Bukhaari, Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet (saw) said,
"[On the Day of Resurrection] camels will come to their owner in the best
state of health they have ever had (in the world) and if he had not paid
their zakah on them, they would tread him with their feet, and similarly,
sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they ever had in
this world and, if he had not paid their zakah, would tread him with their
hooves and would butt him with their horns... I do not want anyone of you to
come to me on the Day of Resurrection carrying over his neck a sheep that
will be bleating. Then he says, "O Muhammad (please intercede for me)". I
will say, "I cant help you for I conveyed Allaah's message to you"
Yes, the Prophet (saw) conveyed Allaah's message to us. He stressed that
the zakah is one of the pillars of Islaam. He also clearly warned of the
consequences of not paying such zakah. Note the following hadith from Sahih
al-Bukhaari:
"Whoever is made wealthy by Allaah and does not pay zakah of his wealth,
then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed
poisonous snake with two poisonous glands. It will encircle his neck and
bite his cheeks and say, "I am your wealth, I am your treasure".
After stating that, the Prophet (saw) then recited the above verse from
Surah al-'Imraan.
In another verse, Allaah also says,
"[There are] those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way
of Allaah - announce unto them a painful torment. On the Day when that
wealth will be heated in the fire of hell and it will brand their foreheads,
flanks and backs. [It will be said to them], "This is the treasure which
you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard".
(at-Tawbah, 34-35)
In fact, Muslims who do not pay their zakah are not only harming themselves
but they can actually harm the entire Muslim ummah. The Messenger of Allaah
(saw) said,
"A people do not keep from giving the zakah on their wealth except that they
will be kept from having rain from the sky. If it were not for the animals,
it would not rain at all". (Ibn Maajah, according to al-Albaani it is
sahih, see Silsilat al-Hadeeth as-Saheehah, vol.1, hadith no. 106)
But how many Muslims today know the conditions and rules of zakah? How many
of us have taken the time to study the fiqh of zakah? How many of us even
know if we are required to give zakah? This is knowledge that each and
every one of us must seek and desire. In fact, if you have any wealth this
is all part of the knowledge that one is required to have and is responsible
for. We should never be satisfied being ignorant of such an important
matter - something related to the foundation of our faith.
For example, many brothers and sisters own businesses. Do they know about
the zakah on their inventory?
What about our wealth? Many of us may think that we do not have much money
so we do not have to pay zakah. But in order to say that about ourselves,
we must at least learn what is the minimum amount or nisab that requires us
to pay zakah. How many of us actually know what that nisab is? Wouldn't it
be sad if we did not know what that nisab is? That means, that we would not
even know if we are required to fulfil one of the pillars of our faith?
What about that money that you may have laying around for a year's time -
sometimes even in an old bank account that you may not pay much attention
to. Do you even keep track or are you conscious of whether you have the
nisab amount? This requires some taqwaa and checking on your part. If the
money in your possession for a year's time - you have sitting around, money
in accounts not yet closed, money in accounts here and overseas perhaps - if
added together exceed the amount of the nisab, you must pay. In fact, for
the Hanafi madhab, it is sufficient that you went above the nisab at one
point in time and were also above the nisab at the point in time one year
from that original date. All of this is information that we must be aware
of if we truly desire to implement this pillar of Islaam.
What about your wife's jewellery? How many of you have even considered
whether or not it is obligatory to pay zakah on your wife's gold and silver?
According to some scholars, you must also pay zakah on that. The important
point I wish to highlight here is whether or not you ever took the time to
investigate that issue.
This is all information that you must seek. Unfortunately many times, it is
not a matter of ignorance but it is a matter of negligence. The information
about zakah is available and easily accessible - if you truly want to know
it. But you must first realise that you are responsible for getting that
knowledge about this pillar of Islaam and foundation of your faith.
Some people actually give some money and then say, "I am not sure if I am
supposed to pay or how much. If I am, that should cover it, otherwise it is
a sadaqa from me". This is like going to the mosque at dhuhr time and
praying two, four or six rak'ahs and then saying, "I am not sure how much I
was supposed to pray. If I prayed more then it will be nafilah
(supererogatory) from me". The clear intention that the money he is paying
is being paid to fulfil his obligation and the pillar of zakah. Furthermore
perhaps it is the case that you actually did not give enough as zakah.
Some people actually give sadaqah or voluntary charity and have never
considered if they are supposed to give zakah. This is a grave error. In
fact, one must fulfil the obligatory acts before one performs the voluntary
acts. It is the obligatory acts that are the most beloved to Allaah. A
hadith qudsi states, "My servant does not get close to me by anything more
beloved to me than acts that I have made obligatory upon him".
(al-Bukhaari)
This is a mistake that many people make. First one must fulfil the
obligatory duties. These are the most important acts and that is why Allaah
has made them obligatory upon us.
Finally, there comes the question of whom to give the zakah to. Many people
actually do pay zakah but, in fact, they give it to people - or to
organisations and institutions - that do not fit the requirements for those
who may be given zakah. Allaah has made it very clear to whom it may be
given to:
"Alms are only for the poor, and needy and those employed to collect the
funds, and those who hearts have been inclined (towards Islaam) and to free
the captives, and to those in debt, and for Allaah's cause (those fighting
in the way of Allaah) and for the wayfarer, a duty imposed by Allaah. And
Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise" (at-Tawbah, 60)
Zakah cannot be given to one you are financially responsible for. I know of
cases where a person has given zakah to his own wife. That is simply
unacceptable and, in so doing, you do not meet your requirements of paying
zakah.
Finally, as a community, the local mosques should set up institutions or
committees through which they collect the obligatory zakah and distribute it
to those in need. Many times one may have zakah and not know who to give it
to, so the money is sent to a distance far away while, in fact, someone
close by is deserving and in need of the money. Every community should
establish those means by which they look after each other. They should know
who is in need. The local mosque or zakah committee should encourage people
to pay their zakah and teach them how to pay it. They should then take that
zakah and distribute it in the proper way. All of this will be a means,
Allaah willing, of making this foundation of Islaam a strong foundation.
Dear brothers, this is a very important matter. It relates to one of the
pillars of Islaam. Allaah describes the taking of zakah in the following
manner:
"Take (O Muhammad) alms from their wealth in order to purify them and
sanctify them with it" (at-Tawbah, 103)
Zakah should purify us of stinginess. It should help meet the needs of our
poor brothers. It should make us realise that all the wealth we possess is
from Allaah and that we must use it in the proper manner.
As I said before, it is one of the foundations of Islaam. If the foundation
is weak, then that weak foundation will have ramifications for other aspects
of our lives.
Today, how many Muslims in the world honestly, sincerely and properly pay
zakah to purify their wealth and to help their Muslim brethren. Since we
are missing, lacking or very weak in that foundation, is it any surprise
that:
So many Muslims are starving and in need today
So much Muslim wealth is wasted on luxury
So much Muslim wealth is spent on forbidden items
So little Muslim wealth is spent in jihaad and sacrificing for the sake of
Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah (saw) was ordered to fight the people until they
make the shahaada, established prayer and paid zakah. Abu Bakr continued
that teaching after him. What does that mean for us today? Does that mean
if they were alive today, we would be from those who would be fighting
alongside them or would we be from those whom they would be fighting?
Let us make sure that we pay the zakah and fulfil all of the other pillars
of Islaam correctly and sincerely for Allaah's sake, so that our Islaam as a
whole will be strong and Allaah will be pleased with us.