ZAKAT FAQ

Zakat is:

“Transferring ownership of an amount of material wealth specified by the Lawgiver to a poor Muslim who is not Hashimi nor their client, without material benefit returning to the giver in any way, for the sake of Allah Most High.” [Tumurtashi, Tanwir al-Absar]

There are many important points understood in this definition:

1. It is a condition that there be a transferring of ownership. (Simply put: your zakat has to be given). As such, it is not valid to forgive a debt someone owes you as zakat.

2. Zakat has to be given to the poor and needy. It is not valid to give zakat for projects, mosques, and virtuous activity, unless the zakat itself will be given to the poor and needy.

3. Zakat must be given to a Muslim. Unlike charity, it is not valid to give zakat to a non-Muslim.

4. Zakat cannot normally be given to Hashimis (those from the family of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)).

5. The giver cannot materially benefit from giving their zakat. As such, one cannot give zakat to one’s parents, children, or spouse, because benefits between these people are shared.

Zakat can be given to any legally poor or needy Muslim individual.

A “legally poor” Muslim is defined as anyone who does not possess the zakatable-minimum himself.

An “individual” refers to an actual person who is given ownership of the wealth being given in Zakat, as opposed to an institute. This can be anyone except one’s wife, parents, and children.

One can give it to an institute if one is sure that they will disseminate the amount one is paying in Zakat to a poor or needy Muslim individual.

Zakat is due on a yearly basis when a morally-responsible Muslim possesses the minimal zakatable-amount (nisab) above and beyond his debts and immediate expenses, and a complete lunar year passes over it. In calculating one’s Zakat one calculates all his zakatable assets together. “Zakatable assets” include:

(a) Cash – whether in currency form or in the bank,

(b) Gold and Silver,

(c) Money lent out,

(d) Trade goods,

(e) Stocks, and

(f)  Agricultural produce.

After one calculates the above, one deducts:

(a) Debts, and

(b) Immediate expenses.

SMILE distributes 100% of your Zakat dollars locally to those in need.

We provide social service-led Zakat distribution with intense and comprehensive case management, giving clients a path to self-sufficiency.

The sunnah is to give Zakat to the needy of your community, to your relatives, neighbors and to those in your vicinity.

There is a genuine need for Muslims to give their Zakat to local organizations in to help address problems facing the Muslim community here. Many Muslims are unaware of the fact that there are Muslims living in our communities who are suffering from poverty, left isolated due to inadequate support structures. It is the collective responsibility of Muslims living in the United States to care for our needy neighbors.

Ibn `Abidin said, “The best of charity [and zakat] is that which fulfills the greatest need, or is a means to the greatest benefit.” This is the way of the strong believers and the way of true excellence; not simply giving blindly, but giving with consideration, supplication, humility, in gratitude to the receiver, and in purifying oneself inwardly and outwardly.

Sadaqat al-Fitr is a required charity on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr given to the same poor individuals who are allowed to receive Zakat.

It is related by the Companion Abdullah ibn Umar and his father Umar ibn al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with both) that “…the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) obligated (the payment) of zakat al-fitr in Ramadan (with) a sa’ of dates or a sa’ of barley upon every free person and slave, (whether) man or woman, from the Muslims.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

It is actually better to pay the monetary value when the goods are widely available. If they are not widely available, it is better to pay in the form of goods rather than by money.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah; Ala al-Din Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-Alaiyya]

Zakat ul Fitr is obligitory (wajib) upon:

• Any free Muslim, regardless of whether theya re male, female, adult, child, sane or not sane.
• Any person who posses the zakatable minimum (nisab) in any form of wealth, in excess of their immediate needs and debts on Eid ul Fitr (regardless of whether an entire lunar year has passed upon this wealth or not)

For Zakat ul Fitr, the minimum (nisab) is the same as the annual zakat, which is 612 grams of silver or 87.48 grams of old or their equivalent in monetary value. This amount has been calculated to approximately $3,000.

This amount is calculated according to any form of wealth one owns beyond basic needs and immediate debts.  Immediate needs are considered normal living expenses such as food, shelter, clothing, transportation, and immediate debts.

SMILE distributes your Zakat ul Fitr payment before Eid prayers to zakat-eligible clients. We distribute Zakat ul Fitr based on family size

Fidya is the expiatory payment, a special form of charity given to a poor person where one has to pay for each day of missed fasts during Ramadan.

The expiation for one missed fast is the monetary equivalent of approximately 2kg of wheat. The same applies for each missed prayer, including the Witr. [`Ala’ al-Din `Abidin, al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya]

Thus, one day’s worth of missed prayers and one missed day of fasting would require the equivalent of approximately 14kg of wheat in expiation.

As for the specific monetary equivalent of wheat in your country, consult your local mosque or Islamic centre. At the present time, a rough estimate of the figure would be between two and three dollars per missed prayer or fast.