SPECIAL INJUNCTIONS FOR 'ZAKAT'

Brethren-in-Islam!

In my last address I have described before you the general injunctions regarding Infaq Fi Sabilillah (i.e. spending in the cause of Allah). Now I describe the details of the second part of this injunction which relates to Zakat, an ' Ibadat which has been made obligatory.

Three Injunctions about 'Zakat'

Allah has set forth in the Holy Qur'an three injunctions about Zakat separately at three places:

1.     It is said in 'Al-Baqarah'

"Spend in the cause of Allah of the good things which you have earned and of that whit lz We bring forth from the earth for you". (Al-Qur'an 2: 267)

2.     In Surah 'Al-An'am' it is said:

We have produced from the earth for you gardens and crops therefore:

"Eat ye of the fruit thereof when it fruiteth and pay the due of Allah thereupon the harvest day." (Al-Qur'an 6:142)

Both these verses relate to the produce of the earth and the Hanafi jurists say that except for self-grown produce like wood, grass and bamboo, Allah's due must be set apart from all the rest of varieties such as crops, vegetables and fruits. It is said in Hadith that in the produce grown by rain Allah's due is one-tenth, and in the irrigated crops it is one-twentieth, and this due becomes incumbent as soon as harvest is done.

3.     After this it is said in Surah 'Al-Taubah': 

"They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the cause of Allah„Ove tidings to them of a painful doom. On the day when all their gold and silver will be heated in fire and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith and it will be said to them Here is that which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard." (Al-Qur'an 9: 34-35)

Then it is said:

"The alms (i.e. Zakat) are imposed as a duty by Allah for the poor and the needy and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah and for the wayfarers. Allah is Knower and Wise.' (Al-Qur'an 9: 60)

After this it is said:

"Take alms of their wealth and make them pure and clean." (Al-Qur'an 9. 103)

It is learnt from these three verses that if a portion of the wealth that is gathered and increased is not spent in the cause of Allah, that wealth becomes impure. The only method of purifying it is to take out of it Allah's due and give it over to His slaves.

It is stated in a Hadith that when the warning of retribution to the hoarders of gold and silver was received. Muslims became greatly perturbed because it had come to mean that not a datum be retained, and everything must be spent. Finally, Hadrath ‘Umar (may God be pleased with him) called to him the anxiety of the people. The Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Allah has made Zakat obligatory on you for this very reason that the remaining wealth of yours may become pure for you."

A similar tradition is narrated from Hadrat Abu Sa'id al Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) told him:

"When you have taken out Zakat from your wealth, then the due which was incumbent on you has been paid off”

In the verses quoted above there are injunctions about the Zakat of produce from earth and gold and silver, but it is learnt from Ahadith that Zakat is also due on merchandise, camels, cows and goats

'Nisab' (Minimum Scale) of 'Zakat' on some articles

Silver              : 200 dirhams or 52.1/2 tolas.

Gold              : 7.1/2 tolas(3ozs).

Camel            : 5 camels.

Goat              : 40 goats.

Cow              : 30 cows.

Merchandise: Equal to the price of 52.1/2 tolas of silver (21 ozs).

Whoever has the above in possession for a period of one year, it is incumbent on him to take out from it fortieth part of Zakat. About silver and gold, the Hanafis say that if these two do not come up to the required standard (nisab) separately but if their combined price is equal to the scale fixed for any one of the items, then the payment of Zakat will become obligatory.

Zakat on jewellery

If gold and silver are in the form of jewellery then according to Hadrat 'Umar and Hadrat Ibn Mas'ud, Zakat on it is compulsory and Imam Abu Hanifa has accepted this verdict. It is said in a Hadith that once the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw golden bracelets on the arms of two women and he asked them:

"Do you give Zakat?"

One of them said: "No".

The Holy Prophet said:

"Would you like that you are made to wear in their place bracelets of fire on Doomsday?"

Similarly, it is narrated from Hadrat Umm-e-Salama that she had golden anklets and she asked the Holy Prophet if it fell under the category of Kanz (the hoarded wealth, condemned by Allah and his Prophet).

The Prophet replied:

"If the quantity of gold in it is such as comes under Nisab, and Zakat has been given on it, then it is not Kanz”.

It is learnt from these two Ahadith that if gold and silver are in the shape of ornaments, even then Zakat is compulsory on them in the same way as it is obligatory in the case of cash. On jewels and gems, however, Zakat is not due.