Zakat

Every Muslim’s Obligation

Just as fasting in Ramadan and establishing prayer are pillars of our faith, payment of Zakat is part of what makes us Muslim. As we head into the last ten nights of this blessed month, Burbank Islamic Center would like to provide you with links below to make your Zakat payments and donations. This year, Zakat AlFitr is set at $15 per person and as always Zakat Almal is 2.5%.

Important Points about Zakat

  • A person who qualifies to pay Zakat is not eligible to receive.
  • It is not permissible to pay Zakat to your husband, wife, parents, grandparents, and the children and grandchildren.
  • Expenditure to Zakat fund is not permissible on the construction of mosque.
  • It is preferable to pay Zakat to deserving relatives.
  • The Zakat of every locality should be spent on the poor inhabitants of the same community except if there is a calamity in other parts of the country or the world.
  • Anyone who qualifies to receive Zakat, can be given it as assistance or a gift, without telling him that it is Zakat.
  • All articles of household use and properties given on rent are exempted from paying Zakat.
  • Zakat money of a particular year could be spent during the same year in advance, could be given all at once or in installments.

Who Deserves Zakat?

The Holy Quran describes the following eight categories who are entitled to receive Zakat.

  1. Fuqara:

The people who have some money but not enough to meet their needs. They live in a precarious circumstance but do not ask for help.

  1. Miskins:

These are a very miserable people who do not have anything for food, clothing and shelter. The Khalifa Umar ibn al-Khattab also included in them those who are fit to earn but do not have means to earning.

  1. Aamileen (Collectors of Zakat):

The officials engaged in the collection and distribution of Zakat are paid from the Zakat fund.

  1. Muallafat-ul-Qulub (Those whose hearts are to be reconciled):

This includes the new Muslims, to strengthen them in Islam, as well as those for whom it may be necessary to give Zakat to win their heart.

  1. Fir-riqab. (Emancipation of slaves):

This means the person who wants to free himself from the shackles of slavery should be given Zakat so that he can pay to this category (those persons who are imprisoned for nonpayment of fines).

  1. Al-Gharimeen:

This means the people who are in debt, which is more than the assets so that after paying the debt, their wealth that is left is less than the Nisab.

  1. Fi Sabeelillah (in the cause of Allah ):

This is a common word used for all good deeds, but in the case of Zakat it means rendering help to an endeavor to serve Islam such as the propagation of Islam, Jihad, etc.

8.Ibn-us-Sabil (the wayfarer):

A traveler, if he is in need of money while traveling, is entitled to Zakat .