ISLAM
ZAKAT
Verse 002:044 mentions the word ZAKAT as one of the worships. The Holy Qor-aan has mandated this in at least 20 verses. 002:044, 002: 084, 002:111, 002:178, 002:278, 004:163, 005:056, 009:005, 009:011, 009:071, 019:032, 019:056, 022:079, 023:005, 024:057, 027:004, 031:005, 041:008, 073:021, 098:006.
Zakaat is extrapolated to mean the alms, alms-tax or purifying alms, charity, donation, portion of income paid as alms or tithes to purify one’s earnings and soul, poor due, poor-rate, regular charity, spending this way to make earnings grow, and investing in the causes of Allah with a little now in order to reap richer rewards in the future in this life and in the Hereafter. Made obligatory on Moslems this is one of the basic 5 Acts of Worship which are also called the Pillars of Islam.
Zakaat is subject to the same rule that applies to all other beliefs, practices and worships. That rule repeated in the Holy Qor-aan several times and in different words is as follows.
There is no compulsion in religion (002:257. The concept repeated in many verses)
For you is your religion and for me is my religion (109:007)
No bearer of a burden shall bear the burden of another. (006:165 and four other places)
The Holy Prophet s.a.w exhorted the Moslems to practice the 5 Acts of worships. But he did not compel or insist upon an enforced compliance by anyone on anyone else. The things changed when a new man was elected as his 1st successor Khaleefa-tor-Rasool. The system of his s.a.w succession became known Khe-laa-fut–e-Ra-sool or the Caliphate. The former Leader s.a.w had introduced, established and maintained several social services. The new leader faced with the uphill task to continue those programs had to find revenue. Rapid realization regarding required revenue to fund said functions brought Zakat upfront. The Obedience [State-enforced and spiritual] proved a big tool to reach the intended goal.
The reasons why and the process how Zakat got made mandatory and state-enforced are no secret. Firstly, the need for money for the continued funding of noble functions started was quite obvious. Secondly, the doctrine of Ijmaa (Consensus of opinions) was a new power eager to show its muscle. Thirdly, clergy issued Futwas or decrees in temporal matters but enforced as the spiritual mandate. Fourthly, the combined force of Ijmaa and Futwas became that force which needed demonstration. Fifthly, the hardliners prevailed upon their leader to wage war on Moslems refusing to pay Zakat. Thus the development from its primitive stages to the modern Federalism and Taxation moved fast. The importance of Zakat grew exponentially in three major phases as follows.
First: Caliphate realized the Holy Qor-aan urge paying Zakat at least 20 times. Zakat was the worship that state made mandatory and enforced through forced collection. Zakat was why war was waged on Moslem tribes who objected to compelled compliance. Zakat-avoiding tribes got defeated and income stream from the Moslems was established. Zakat has been since the 8th Century A.D. the economic backbone of almost all Caliphates. Zakat was used in early Caliphates to feed and shelter the orphans, widows and the needy. Zakat, Sudqa, Goodly loans and Spending in God’s causes are how Moslems give in charity. The income from the Moslems under those four heads was meant for good causes and was initially used as such exclusively. Some of it later on got put to some other uses as well.
Second: Caliphates honored the Moslem Law that guaranteed freedom of worship and protection of life and property to non-Moslems residents. As non-Moslems could not be forced to pay Zakat, the religious scholars obliged the Caliphates by evolving newer rules regarding to Convert-or-pay-Juzyah-or-War. The non-Moslems who fell to Moslem invasions were given the option to convert to Islam, or pay tax as the protection money, or face war. Thus the income stream got ensured from even the new state-residents whether they became Moslems or Not.
Third: Man’s lust for money and power is well-known. Greed got sanctified under the religious umbrella and spurred accelerated expansion by invasions. War-happy generals rose to power on shoulders of the expanding armies they built for Holy Wars. A new impetus was set in motion to invade neighbors, annex their territory and boost the income. The rest is history.
Zakat had become the source of revenue from Moslems that led them to war on Moslem. The massive loss of life and spirituality is reflected by a report that nearly 500 Hoof-faaz (Those who had memorized the whole of the Holy Qoar-aan) were killed in such wars. Was it a good price to pay in order to forcibly collect Zaaat is a question for which the answer depends upon whom you ask and to which sub-sect the answerer belongs.
For the giver, the Holy Qor-aan exhorted paying a part of his earnings as Zakat to purify earnings. For the recipient, the payments were to help the less-fortunate-have-not’s to get back on their feet. The Holy Prophet s.a.w used some of donations to set up social services and pay certain stipends. The Holy Qor-aan fixed no share of income as Zakat like it laid for inheritance [004:012, 004:013]. The Holy Qor-aan did not specify any ratios of one’s earnings that must be donated as the Zakat. Yet man-made rules added to the portions, ratios and shares of earnings that one must pay in cash.
- Collecting 2.5% of a woman’s golden jewelry so that in 40 years 100% of that would go to the Zakaat-collector. In a way it resonates of the appeal by the Indian Government to the pundits of Hindu temples to loan to it the tons and tons of gold that is accumulated by taking gold and jewelry in donations in the name of God.
- Taking annually the cash equivalent of a share of a farmer’s herd and taking again when a goat, horse, cow, buffalo or camel delivered an off-spring.
- Receiving an ever-increasing percentage from the wages or income a Moslem generated. Our father was known to have donated 51% of his salary with the remaining 49% left for his wife and 10 children.
- Making out as if Islaam meant little more than taking other’s money as much as possible and on as many projects and pretexts as possible — in a clear violation of the Prohibition laid down in the verses 002:189.
- I remember two [10-days and later 3-weeks] visits to Saudi Arabia and the good fortune to offer prayers in different mosques. Frequently I saw that hardly the Imam had ended the prayers when several men stood up like the wild mushrooms and demanded payment of Zakaat, charity and donations to them for their good causes.
Islam – Zakaat
ISLAM
ZAKAT
Verse 002:044 mentions the word ZAKAT as one of the worships. The Holy Qor-aan has mandated this in at least 20 verses. 002:044, 002: 084, 002:111, 002:178, 002:278, 004:163, 005:056, 009:005, 009:011, 009:071, 019:032, 019:056, 022:079, 023:005, 024:057, 027:004, 031:005, 041:008, 073:021, 098:006.
Zakaat is extrapolated to mean the alms, alms-tax or purifying alms, charity, donation, portion of income paid as alms or tithes to purify one’s earnings and soul, poor due, poor-rate, regular charity, spending this way to make earnings grow, and investing in the causes of Allah with a little now in order to reap richer rewards in the future in this life and in the Hereafter. Made obligatory on Moslems this is one of the basic 5 Acts of Worship which are also called the Pillars of Islam.
Zakaat is subject to the same rule that applies to all other beliefs, practices and worships. That rule repeated in the Holy Qor-aan several times and in different words is as follows.
There is no compulsion in religion (002:257. The concept repeated in many verses)
For you is your religion and for me is my religion (109:007)
No bearer of a burden shall bear the burden of another. (006:165 and four other places)
The Holy Prophet s.a.w exhorted the Moslems to practice the 5 Acts of worships. But he did not compel or insist upon an enforced compliance by anyone on anyone else. The things changed when a new man was elected as his 1st successor Khaleefa-tor-Rasool. The system of his s.a.w succession became known Khe-laa-fut–e-Ra-sool or the Caliphate. The former Leader s.a.w had introduced, established and maintained several social services. The new leader faced with the uphill task to continue those programs had to find revenue. Rapid realization regarding required revenue to fund said functions brought Zakat upfront. The Obedience [State-enforced and spiritual] proved a big tool to reach the intended goal.
The reasons why and the process how Zakat got made mandatory and state-enforced are no secret. Firstly, the need for money for the continued funding of noble functions started was quite obvious. Secondly, the doctrine of Ijmaa (Consensus of opinions) was a new power eager to show its muscle. Thirdly, clergy issued Futwas or decrees in temporal matters but enforced as the spiritual mandate. Fourthly, the combined force of Ijmaa and Futwas became that force which needed demonstration. Fifthly, the hardliners prevailed upon their leader to wage war on Moslems refusing to pay Zakat. Thus the development from its primitive stages to the modern Federalism and Taxation moved fast. The importance of Zakat grew exponentially in three major phases as follows.
First: Caliphate realized the Holy Qor-aan urge paying Zakat at least 20 times. Zakat was the worship that state made mandatory and enforced through forced collection. Zakat was why war was waged on Moslem tribes who objected to compelled compliance. Zakat-avoiding tribes got defeated and income stream from the Moslems was established. Zakat has been since the 8th Century A.D. the economic backbone of almost all Caliphates. Zakat was used in early Caliphates to feed and shelter the orphans, widows and the needy. Zakat, Sudqa, Goodly loans and Spending in God’s causes are how Moslems give in charity. The income from the Moslems under those four heads was meant for good causes and was initially used as such exclusively. Some of it later on got put to some other uses as well.
Second: Caliphates honored the Moslem Law that guaranteed freedom of worship and protection of life and property to non-Moslems residents. As non-Moslems could not be forced to pay Zakat, the religious scholars obliged the Caliphates by evolving newer rules regarding to Convert-or-pay-Juzyah-or-War. The non-Moslems who fell to Moslem invasions were given the option to convert to Islam, or pay tax as the protection money, or face war. Thus the income stream got ensured from even the new state-residents whether they became Moslems or Not.
Third: Man’s lust for money and power is well-known. Greed got sanctified under the religious umbrella and spurred accelerated expansion by invasions. War-happy generals rose to power on shoulders of the expanding armies they built for Holy Wars. A new impetus was set in motion to invade neighbors, annex their territory and boost the income. The rest is history.
Zakat had become the source of revenue from Moslems that led them to war on Moslem. The massive loss of life and spirituality is reflected by a report that nearly 500 Hoof-faaz (Those who had memorized the whole of the Holy Qoar-aan) were killed in such wars. Was it a good price to pay in order to forcibly collect Zaaat is a question for which the answer depends upon whom you ask and to which sub-sect the answerer belongs.
For the giver, the Holy Qor-aan exhorted paying a part of his earnings as Zakat to purify earnings. For the recipient, the payments were to help the less-fortunate-have-not’s to get back on their feet. The Holy Prophet s.a.w used some of donations to set up social services and pay certain stipends. The Holy Qor-aan fixed no share of income as Zakat like it laid for inheritance [004:012, 004:013]. The Holy Qor-aan did not specify any ratios of one’s earnings that must be donated as the Zakat. Yet man-made rules added to the portions, ratios and shares of earnings that one must pay in cash.
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