Importance of Zakat, Types and Benefits

Islam is the religion of peace and love. It emphasizes that Muslims should live in peace, love, and harmony with each other and also with the people of other religion. Islam teaches us to help poor and needy people and fulfill their needs in form of charity.

In Islam charity is in form of Zakat which is obligatory on every Muslim. Those who are wealthy enough should pay Zakat to needy people. We all should know about importance, types, and benefits of paying Zakat. In this article, we will discuss these concepts which every Muslim must know about it. You can download our zakat calculator app on your favorite device from the links provided below and easily calculate your zakat.

Zakat Calculator

Importance of Zakat: Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam.  The word Zakat means ‘to purify’. Allah Almighty mentioned inthe Quran: “Take from their wealth so that you might purify and sanctify them” (Quran 9:103). It has been mentioned in the Quran in more than 30 verses. Its significance before Allah can be determined by the fact that its order has been placed everywhere in the Quran where the order of offering prayer has been passed. Its obligatory on every capable Muslim who has wealth in certain ratio should pay Zakat. By calculating Zakat, a Muslim accepts that everything we have is given by Allah and we do not really own it, and we should use it to remember Allah and help those who are in need. It is an act to help learn self-discipline and honesty.

Types of Zakat:  We know that Zakat is obligatory on every Muslim and we should pay it for getting Allah’s blessings and also to purify our wealth. We also should know about types of Zakat. Zakat is of two types:

1. Obligatory: It is again of two types

• The Zakat of wealth.

• The Zakat of the body (Fitra).

2. Recommended

Benefits of Zakat: Zakat has many benefits some of them are listed below:

• It brings a servant close to his Lord and increases his faith. This is the case with all of the acts of worship.

• Paying Zakat results in great reward from Allah Almighty. The Prophet (SAW) said:

“Whoever gives away charity the size of a date, which is earned lawfully, since Allah only accepts the good lawful things, Allah will indeed take it with His right Hand and cause it to grow for its owner, just as one of you raises up his colt, to the point that the charity will become like the size of a mountain.” [Al-Bukhari]

•  Allah removes the (minor) sins by giving Zakat, as the Prophet (SAW) said: “Giving charity wipes away sins just as water extinguishes the fire.” 

• It helps Muslims to follow the honorable path.

• It helps in purification of the heart.

• It helps in reducing the poverty from society.

• Most important benefit of Zakat is the purification of the halal money.

• It cleans one’s character from being a miser.

• It is proof of the truthfulness of the faith of he who gives Zakat.

• It makes one reach the rank of the perfect believer. The Prophet (SAW) said: “None of you truly believes until he loves his brother what he loves himself.” [Muslim]

• It makes an Islamic society a single family in which the rich helps the poor.

• Redemption from the intense heat on the Day of Resurrection. The Prophet (SAW) said: “Every man will be in the shade of his charity on the Day of Resurrection.” [Ahmad]

• Calculating Zakat helps to demolish poverty.

• While paying Zakat reduces the chances of deflation in the country or in a society.

• Zakat removes the grudges and deceased feelings found in the hearts of the poor and needy people. 

Who can receive the Zakat?

Zakat should spend on following people:

• The Furaqa (Poor)

• Al-Maskin  (Needy)

• Aamileen (Zakat collector)

• Muallafatul (Poor and needy recently converted to Islam)

• Ar-Riqaab (slaves)

• Ibnus Sabeel (a traveler in need of financial assistance)

• Al Ghaarimeen (A debtor)

• Fi Sabeelillah (who are away from home in the path of Allah)

How to calculate Zakat?

Assets to include in your Zakat calculation are cash (in hand, in bank accounts or money lent to someone), shares, pensions, gold, and silver. Personal items (your home, furniture, cars, food, and clothing) are not included in Nisaab. Have you tried “The Zakat Calculator”? If not, then download now this Zakat calculator and use it for Zakat calculation.

In the time of Caliph ‘Umar ibn Abdul Aziz’, it is said that the Zakat distributors traveled far and wide, but were unable to find anybody poor enough in the region to receive the Zakat. This shows the true power of Zakat. We all should pay Zakat so that we can also remove poverty from our society. May Allah Almighty give us the wisdom to realize the importance of Zakat calculation and give us the spirit to fulfill this obligation!