“True piety is this: to believe in God, and the Last Day, the Angels, the Book, and the Prophets, to give of one’s substance, however cherished, to kinsmen, and orphans, the needy, the traveler, beggars, and to ransom the slave, to perform the prayer, to pay the zakat.” Surah Baqarah, Ayah 177 (Qur’an 2:177)

In Islam, charity holds such a great place that it is an obligation on Muslims in the form of Zakat. In Islam, Zakat is one of the major pillars of Islam, and those who are wealthy enough, for them it is mandatory to give Zakat.

Zakat or Zakah is an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘to purify’. Zakat is a phase of spiritual purification and acknowledging the right of the needy and destitute. It’s about practicing self-discipline and freeing oneself from greed, the love of money, and the love of oneself.

Zakat is an obligatory alms given from the wealth of Muslims and intended for the Muslim poor and distressed. God has made zakat, a percentage of a Muslim’s wealth after living expenses are covered, payable to those in need so that the weak are not left at the mercy of the strong. In fact, once a Muslim has enough wealth to pay for Zakat, that money is considered the property of those who deserve to receive it.

Every Muslim who has reached puberty and has enough wealth must pay Zakat, in fact this is the time when a believer get’s closer to the all mighty Allah. The usual amount donated is 2.5% of a person’s total cumulative wealth in one lunar year. The value of the Nisab in prophetic tradition is 87.48 grams of pure gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the Nisab will vary by current prices, and scholars recommend that Muslims apply the Nisab value of silver instead of gold, to ensure that more people are eligible for Zakat.

SYT is committed in providing continued support to destitute communities where medical facilities and advice is not readily available.

Give your Zakat to SYT and InshaAllah help the poor communities out of poverty, want to find out more? Get in touch today!