Zakat information from Quran

It is permissible to give the Zakat to deserving relatives. The Prophet peace be upon him said, “Your relatives deserve more your goodness” But it is not allowed to give Zakat to one’s own children, grand-children or parents and grand-parents. The husband and wife also cannot give Zakat to each other. Because it is your duty to spend on these relatives like you spend on your own needs. You cannot give Zakat to your own self, similarly you cannot give Zakat to these relatives who come under the category of dependents.

 

“The alms are only for the Fuqara’ (the poor), and Al-Masakin (the needy) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah’s Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.” [Al-Quran 9:60]

 
“They ask you as to what they should spend. Say: Whatever wealth you spend, it is for the parents and the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, and whatever good you do, Allah surely knows it.” [Al-Quran 2:215]

 
“(Alms are) for the poor who are confined in the way of Allah– they cannot go about in the land; the ignorant man thinks them to be rich on account of (their) abstaining (from begging); you can recognize them by their mark; they do not beg from men importunately; and whatever good thing you spend, surely Allah knows it.” [Al-Quran 2:273]

 
“And give to the near of kin his due and (to) the needy and the wayfarer, and do not squander wastefully.” [Al-Quran 17:26]

 

Who is eligible to receive Zakat?

There are 8 groups of people on whom Zakat should be spent, as mentioned in the Quran: Fuqaraa: Those who own property in excess of basic necessities but below the value of Nisab***. Masakeen: Persons of extreme poverty who possess no wealth whatsoever. Aamileen: (Zakat collector) Those persons who are appointed by an Islamic Head of State or Government to collect Zakat. It is not necessary that this be a needy person. Muallafatul Quloob: Those poor and needy persons who are given Zakat with the intentions of solidifying their hearts because they maybe recently converted to Islam or to bring them closer to Islam. Ar-Riqaab: slaves whose masters have agreed to set them free on a payment of a fixed amount. Zakat may be used to purchase their freedom. Ibnus-Sabeel: A traveler, who, whilst wealthy at his residence, is stranded and in need of financial assistance. Al Ghaarimeen: A person whose debts exceeds his assets and his net assets (after deducting his liabilities) is below the Nisab limit. To determine whether a person qualifies, his basic necessities of life (house, furniture, clothes, vehicle, etc.) will not be taken into account. It is conditional that the debts were not created for any un-Islamic or sinful purpose. Fi Sabeelillah: Those who are away from home in the path of Allah. Those in Jihaad, those seeking knowledge or a stranded Haji may be assist with Zakat if they are in need.

What is  nisab*** ?  (minimum amount you should have possessed over a twelve month period)

To be liable for zakat, one’s wealth must amount to more than a threshold figure, termed the “nisab”. To determine the nisab, the are two measures: either gold or silver.

• Gold: The nisab by the gold standard is approx. 85 grams or its cash equivalent.
• Silver: The nisab by the silver standard is approx. 600 grams or its equivalent in cash.

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” and “Prayer” #8

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 15 :: Hadith# 102

Narrated Jabir bin ‘Abdullah: On the Day of ‘Idd the Prophet used to return (after offering the ‘Idd prayer) through a way different from that by which he went.

Sahih Muslim :: Book# 6 :: Hadith# 2361

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: When there comes the month of Ramadan, the gates of mercy are opened, and the gates of Hell are locked and the devils are chained.

Sahih Muslim :: Book# 6 :: Hadith# 2363

Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with both of them) reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying in connection with Ramadan: Do not fast till you see the new moon, and do not break fast till you see it; but if the weather is cloudy calculate about it.

Sahih Muslim :: Book# 6 :: Hadith# 2399

‘Abdullah b. Mas’ud (Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) had said: Bilal would pronounce Adhan (at the fag end of the night in order to inform the people about the time of the Sahri). So you eat and drink till you hear the Adhan of Ibn Umm Maktum (which was pronounced at the conclusion of the Sehri and the commencement of the fast).

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” and “Prayer” #7

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 573

Narrated Abu Ma’bad,: (the slave of Ibn Abbas) Allah’s Apostle said to Muadh when he sent him to Yemen, “You will go to the people of the Scripture. So, when you reach there, invite them to testify that none has the right to be worshiped but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Apostle. And if they obey you in that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them five prayers in each day and night. And if they obey you in that tell them that Allah has made it obligatory on them to pay the Zakat which will be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor among them. If they obey you in that, then avoid taking the best of their possessions, and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 15 :: Hadith# 73

Narrated Anas bin Malik,: Allah’s Apostle never proceeded (for the prayer) on the Day of ‘Idd-ul-Fitr unless he had eaten some dates. Anas also narrated: The Prophet used to eat odd number of dates.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 15 :: Hadith# 79

Narrated Ibn Abbas: I offered the ‘Idd prayer with Allah’s Apostle, Abu Bakr, Umar and ‘Uthman and all of them offered the prayer before delivering the Khutbah.

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” and “Zakat” #6

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 500

Narrated Abu Huraira: A man came to the Prophet and asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! Which charity is the most superior in reward?” He replied, “The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, ‘Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.’ And it has already belonged to such and such (as it is too late).”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 529

Narrated Ibn Abbas : I am a witness that Allah’s Apostle offered the Idd prayer before delivering the sermon and then he thought that the women would not be able to hear him (because of the distance), so he went to them along with Bilal who was spreading his garment. The Prophet advised and ordered them to give in charity. So the women started giving their ornaments (in charity). (The sub-narrator Aiyub pointed towards his ears and neck meaning that they gave ornaments from those places such as ear-rings and necklaces.)

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 541

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri On ‘Idd ul Fitr or ‘Idd ul Adha Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) went out to the Musalla. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, “O people! Give alms.” Then he went towards the women and said. “O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women).” The women asked, “O Allah’s Apostle! What is the reason for it?” He replied, “O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray.” Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Masud, came and asked permission to enter. It was said, “O Allah’s Apostle! It is Zainab.” He asked, ‘Which Zainab?” The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Mas’ub. He said, “Yes, allow her to enter.” And she was admitted. Then she said, “O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Masud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else.” The Prophet replied, “Ibn Masud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else.”

Seven people will be shaded by Allah – Who are they?

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 504

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are:

(1) a just ruler;

(2) a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, (i.e. worship Allah (Alone) sincerely from his childhood),

(3) a man whose heart is attached to the mosque (who offers the five compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque);

(4) two persons who love each other only for Allah’s sake and they meet and part in Allah’s cause only;

(5) a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for an illegal sexual intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah;

(6) a person who practices charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity).

(7) a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes get flooded with tears.”

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” and “Zakat” #5

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 486

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a bald-headed poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’ ” Then the Prophet recited the holy verses:– ‘Let not those who withhold . . .’ (to the end of the verse). (Surah Ali Imran’ 3:180)

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 487

Narrated Abu Said: Allah’s Apostle (pbuh) said, “No Zakat is due on property mounting to less than five Uqiyas (of silver), and no Zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no Zakat on less than five Wasqs.” (A Wasqs equals 60 Sa’s) & (1 Sa=3 K gms App.)

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 490

Narrated Ibn Masud: I heard the Prophet saying, “There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 492

Narrated Haritha bin Wahab : I heard the Prophet saying, “O people! Give in charity as a time will come upon you when a person will wander about with his object of charity and will not find anybody to accept it, and one (who will be requested to take it) will say, “If you had brought it yesterday, would have taken it, but to-day I am not in need of it.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 493

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till your wealth increases so much so that one will be worried, for no one will accept his Zakat and the person to whom he will give it will reply, ‘I am not in need of it.’ ”

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” #4

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 237

Narrated ‘Aisha: Allah’s Apostle used to practice Itikaf in the last ten nights of Ramadan and used to say, “Look for the Night of Qadr in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan ,”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 241

Narrated ‘Aisha: With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet used to tighten his waist belt (i.e. work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 484

Narrated Jarir bin ‘Abdullah, “I gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet for offering prayer perfectly giving Zakat and giving good advice to every Muslim.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 24 :: Hadith# 485

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “(On the Day of Resurrection) camels will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had (in the world), and if he had not paid their Zakat (in the world) then they would tread him with their feet; and similarly, sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had in the world, and if he had not paid their Zakat, then they would tread him with their hooves and would butt him with their horns.”

The Prophet added, “One of their rights is that they should be milked while water is kept in front of them.” The Prophet added, “I do not want anyone of you to come to me on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating. Such a person will (then) say, ‘O Muhammad! (please intercede for me,) I will say to him. ‘I can’t help you, for I conveyed Allah’s Message to you.’ Similarly, I do not want anyone of you to come to me carrying over his neck a camel that will be grunting. Such a person (then) will say “O Muhammad! (please intercede for me).” I will say to him, “I can’t help you for I conveyed Allah’s message to you.”

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” #3

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 226

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying regarding Ramadan, “Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 228

Narrated ‘Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) Allah’s Apostle used to pray (at night) in Ramadan.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 231

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever fasted the month of Ramadan out of sincere Faith (i.e. belief) and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his past sins will be forgiven, and whoever stood for the prayers in the night of Qadr out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven .”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 32 :: Hadith# 233

Narrated Abu Salama: I asked Abu Sa’id, and he was a friend of mine, (about the Night of Qadr) and he said, “We practiced Itikaf (seclusion in the mosque) in the middle third of the month of Ramadan with the Prophet . In the morning of the 20th of Ramadan, the Prophet came and addressed us and said, ‘I was informed of (the date of the Night of Qadr) but I was caused to forget it; so search for it in the odd nights of the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. (In the dream) I saw myself prostrating in mud and water (as a sign). So, whoever was in l’tikaf with me should return to it with me (for another 10-day’s period)’, and we returned. At that time there was no sign of clouds in the sky but suddenly a cloud came and it rained till rain-water started leaking through the roof of the mosque which was made of date-palm leaf stalks. Then the prayer was established and I saw Allah’s Apostle prostrating in mud and water and I saw the traces of mud on his forehead.”

Hadith from Shahih Al Bukhari about “Ramadan” #2

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 123

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 124

Narrated Ibn Umar: I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, “When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can’t see It) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days)”.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 125

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 127

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 128

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Allah said, ‘All the deeds of Adam’s sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.’ Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, ‘I am fasting.’ By Him in Whose Hands my soul is’ The unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting.”