yasser
06-11-2004, 03:06 PM
Az-Zakat
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Mukhtasar Zaad al Ma`aad of Ibn ul Qayyim
© 1993 Nour-e-Sham Book Centre
------------------------
Of the five fundamentals of Islam, Zakat occupies the second position (after the shahada), the first being prayer. This word is derived from the verb ‘Zaka’, which means: ‘It (a plant) grew.’ The second derivative of this word carries the sense of purification, e.g., ‘Qad aflaha man zakkaha (he is indeed successful who purifies himself). Spending the wealth for the sake of Allah purifies the heart of man of the love of material wealth. The man who spends offers that as a humble gift before the Lord and thus affirms the truth that nothing is dearer to him in life than the love of Allah and that he is fully prepared to sacrifice everything for His sake. There is no burden of obligation on one who receives Zakat, but a sense of thankfulness and gratitude on the part of the giver, since has been enabled by the recipient to discharge his obligation that he owes to Allah and society. Zakat is paid on surplus of wealth that is left over after the passage of a year. It is thus a payment on the accumulated wealth. Leaving aside animals and agricultural yield, Zakat is paid at almost a uniform rate of 2 ½%.
The minimum standard of surplus wealth over which Zakat is charged is known as ‘Nisab’. It differs with different kinds of property, the most important being nearly 21 OZ in case of silver and 3 OZ in case of gold. The Nisab of cash is the same as that of gold and silver. Twenty percent of buried treasure, i.e. wealth that does not imply exertion of effort in collecting it; as for agricultural crops that require labour to gain, Zakat would be 10% and it is known as `Ushur (tenth). If the land is irrigated by artificial methods, one-twentieth part of the yield is to be paid as Zakat. Should the land producing the yield be in need on constant labour and catering, then the owner is bound to pay one-fortieth of the produce. There is no Zakat on less than five camels, but if the person pays it out of his own sweet will that would be a voluntary act of charity. Upon five camels the Zakat is one goat, provided they subsist upon pasture throughout the year, because Zakat is due only upon such camels as live on pasture and not upon those which are fed in the house with fodder. One goat is due upon any number of camels from five to nine, and two goats on any number from ten to fourteen. There on any number from fourteen to nineteen and four upon any number from twenty to twenty-four and upon any number of camels from twenty-five to thirty-five, the Zakat is a ‘Bint-al-Makhaz’, that is, a camel’s yearling colt.
No Zakat is due upon fewer than forty goats and upon forty goats that feed for the greater part of the year upon pasture, there is due, at the expiration of the year, Zakat of one goat. One goat is due on thirty cows. As for horses, no Zakat is due on them in the light of the Holy Prophet’s guidance.
The objects and persons on whom Zakat is to be spent are included in the following verse: "The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and for those employed in connection therewith, and for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for the (freeing of) slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer – an ordinance from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise." [9:60]
useful lik
http://zakat.al-islam.com
-----------------
Zakat EL_fetr
q/a
10. What is the legal judgment concerning Zakat Al-Fitr [Fast-Breaking Zakah]?
Is it obligatory to be paid on behalf of one's children and servants?
Zakat Al-Fitr is incumbent on every Muslim, whether young or old, male or female. This is confirmed by Ibn `Umar's narration: ''Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stated that Zakat Al-Fitr is to be paid as a Sa` of date or barely by every Muslim whether slave or free, male or female, young or old.'' It is to be paid on behalf of one's self, wife and all those he supports, including his parents. However, one is not obliged to pay Zakat Al-Fitr on behalf of his servants unless he chooses to do so, and after taking their permission. Also, he is not obliged to pay Zakat Al-Fitr on behalf of his child who has not yet been born before sunset of the last day of Ramadan.
11. What is the amount of Zakat Al-Fitr?
The amount of Zakat Al-Fitr is a Sa` of rice, or other foodstuffs like wheat, dates, corn, flour, powdered milk, cheese or meats, whether canned or not.
Note: The Sa` is a measure that equals approximately 2.5 kgs of rice, taking into account that grains may vary according to their density.
12. Can we pay Zakat Al-Fitr in cash? If yes, how much?
Some scholars maintain that it is permissible to pay Zakat Al-Fitr in cash according to its value in kind. This view is made to make it easy for people to pay Zakah.
However, it should be noted that estimating Zakat Al-Fitr by a fixed amount of money is not valid, since food prices may differ from one year to another and from one country to another.
13. When is Zakat Al-Fitr due? Can it be distributed during the early days of Ramadan?
Zakat Al-Fitr falls due upon the sunset of the last day of Ramadan, since it is levied as a means of purification for one who observes the Fast. As the Fast ends with the sunset of the last day of Ramadan, Zakat Al-Fitr falls due. According to the Sunna, Zakat Al-Fitr should be given before the `Id Prayer. This is confirmed by Ibn `Umar's narration: ''The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered that Zakat Al-Fitr be given before the people go to perform the `Id Prayer.'' However it is permissible to be given during the early days of Ramadan, especially when it is delivered to charitable organizations. This facilitates the process of distributing the Zakah among worthy recipients at the proper time.
14. What should a Muslim do in case he forgets to pay Zakat Al-Fitr before the `Id Prayer?
It is not recommended to delay ZakaAl-Fitr until after the `Id Prayer. The prime purpose of giving Zakat Al-Fitr is to meet the needs of the poor during the `Id day. The delay will stand against fulfilling this end. This is confirmed by Ibn `Abbas' Hadith in which he maintained: ''Zakat Al-Fitr was ordained by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a means of purification from idle talk in which the observer of Fast had indulged while fasting. It is a kind of charity.''
However, there is no sin paying it after Prayer, but not after sunset. Delaying it after sunset incurs sin, and it remains obligatory to be paid.
15. Is it permissible to transfer Zakat Al-Fitr from one's country to another?
Zakat Al-Fitr can be transferred to a country other than that in which the payer of Zakah is staying depending on the priority of need or due to surplus. Otherwise, it should be distributed within one's country. This is confirmed by the Prophet's Hadith in which he maintained: ''It (Zakat Al-Fitr) is to be taken from the rich among them and handed over to the poor (among them).
from
http://zakat.al-islam.com/def/?l=eng&filename=Quest/desc/item7/item3/desc1
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah
Mukhtasar Zaad al Ma`aad of Ibn ul Qayyim
© 1993 Nour-e-Sham Book Centre
------------------------
Of the five fundamentals of Islam, Zakat occupies the second position (after the shahada), the first being prayer. This word is derived from the verb ‘Zaka’, which means: ‘It (a plant) grew.’ The second derivative of this word carries the sense of purification, e.g., ‘Qad aflaha man zakkaha (he is indeed successful who purifies himself). Spending the wealth for the sake of Allah purifies the heart of man of the love of material wealth. The man who spends offers that as a humble gift before the Lord and thus affirms the truth that nothing is dearer to him in life than the love of Allah and that he is fully prepared to sacrifice everything for His sake. There is no burden of obligation on one who receives Zakat, but a sense of thankfulness and gratitude on the part of the giver, since has been enabled by the recipient to discharge his obligation that he owes to Allah and society. Zakat is paid on surplus of wealth that is left over after the passage of a year. It is thus a payment on the accumulated wealth. Leaving aside animals and agricultural yield, Zakat is paid at almost a uniform rate of 2 ½%.
The minimum standard of surplus wealth over which Zakat is charged is known as ‘Nisab’. It differs with different kinds of property, the most important being nearly 21 OZ in case of silver and 3 OZ in case of gold. The Nisab of cash is the same as that of gold and silver. Twenty percent of buried treasure, i.e. wealth that does not imply exertion of effort in collecting it; as for agricultural crops that require labour to gain, Zakat would be 10% and it is known as `Ushur (tenth). If the land is irrigated by artificial methods, one-twentieth part of the yield is to be paid as Zakat. Should the land producing the yield be in need on constant labour and catering, then the owner is bound to pay one-fortieth of the produce. There is no Zakat on less than five camels, but if the person pays it out of his own sweet will that would be a voluntary act of charity. Upon five camels the Zakat is one goat, provided they subsist upon pasture throughout the year, because Zakat is due only upon such camels as live on pasture and not upon those which are fed in the house with fodder. One goat is due upon any number of camels from five to nine, and two goats on any number from ten to fourteen. There on any number from fourteen to nineteen and four upon any number from twenty to twenty-four and upon any number of camels from twenty-five to thirty-five, the Zakat is a ‘Bint-al-Makhaz’, that is, a camel’s yearling colt.
No Zakat is due upon fewer than forty goats and upon forty goats that feed for the greater part of the year upon pasture, there is due, at the expiration of the year, Zakat of one goat. One goat is due on thirty cows. As for horses, no Zakat is due on them in the light of the Holy Prophet’s guidance.
The objects and persons on whom Zakat is to be spent are included in the following verse: "The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and for those employed in connection therewith, and for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for the (freeing of) slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer – an ordinance from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise." [9:60]
useful lik
http://zakat.al-islam.com
-----------------
Zakat EL_fetr
q/a
10. What is the legal judgment concerning Zakat Al-Fitr [Fast-Breaking Zakah]?
Is it obligatory to be paid on behalf of one's children and servants?
Zakat Al-Fitr is incumbent on every Muslim, whether young or old, male or female. This is confirmed by Ibn `Umar's narration: ''Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stated that Zakat Al-Fitr is to be paid as a Sa` of date or barely by every Muslim whether slave or free, male or female, young or old.'' It is to be paid on behalf of one's self, wife and all those he supports, including his parents. However, one is not obliged to pay Zakat Al-Fitr on behalf of his servants unless he chooses to do so, and after taking their permission. Also, he is not obliged to pay Zakat Al-Fitr on behalf of his child who has not yet been born before sunset of the last day of Ramadan.
11. What is the amount of Zakat Al-Fitr?
The amount of Zakat Al-Fitr is a Sa` of rice, or other foodstuffs like wheat, dates, corn, flour, powdered milk, cheese or meats, whether canned or not.
Note: The Sa` is a measure that equals approximately 2.5 kgs of rice, taking into account that grains may vary according to their density.
12. Can we pay Zakat Al-Fitr in cash? If yes, how much?
Some scholars maintain that it is permissible to pay Zakat Al-Fitr in cash according to its value in kind. This view is made to make it easy for people to pay Zakah.
However, it should be noted that estimating Zakat Al-Fitr by a fixed amount of money is not valid, since food prices may differ from one year to another and from one country to another.
13. When is Zakat Al-Fitr due? Can it be distributed during the early days of Ramadan?
Zakat Al-Fitr falls due upon the sunset of the last day of Ramadan, since it is levied as a means of purification for one who observes the Fast. As the Fast ends with the sunset of the last day of Ramadan, Zakat Al-Fitr falls due. According to the Sunna, Zakat Al-Fitr should be given before the `Id Prayer. This is confirmed by Ibn `Umar's narration: ''The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ordered that Zakat Al-Fitr be given before the people go to perform the `Id Prayer.'' However it is permissible to be given during the early days of Ramadan, especially when it is delivered to charitable organizations. This facilitates the process of distributing the Zakah among worthy recipients at the proper time.
14. What should a Muslim do in case he forgets to pay Zakat Al-Fitr before the `Id Prayer?
It is not recommended to delay ZakaAl-Fitr until after the `Id Prayer. The prime purpose of giving Zakat Al-Fitr is to meet the needs of the poor during the `Id day. The delay will stand against fulfilling this end. This is confirmed by Ibn `Abbas' Hadith in which he maintained: ''Zakat Al-Fitr was ordained by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a means of purification from idle talk in which the observer of Fast had indulged while fasting. It is a kind of charity.''
However, there is no sin paying it after Prayer, but not after sunset. Delaying it after sunset incurs sin, and it remains obligatory to be paid.
15. Is it permissible to transfer Zakat Al-Fitr from one's country to another?
Zakat Al-Fitr can be transferred to a country other than that in which the payer of Zakah is staying depending on the priority of need or due to surplus. Otherwise, it should be distributed within one's country. This is confirmed by the Prophet's Hadith in which he maintained: ''It (Zakat Al-Fitr) is to be taken from the rich among them and handed over to the poor (among them).
from
http://zakat.al-islam.com/def/?l=eng&filename=Quest/desc/item7/item3/desc1