As a young Muslim girl living in Jordan, Hebah Al-Disi was taught from an early age by her father to appreciate Zakaah, the Islamic charity-tax similar to tithes and offerings in other religions.
During the last days of Ramadan one year, she accompanied her father in giving Zakaah to a poor family. After a half an hour driving, they reached a poor area in the suburbs of Amman, Jordan. They parked their car and continued the trip on foot because there was no street to the apartment of the family. "Here we are, Hebah," announced her father. He pointed to a very small, one-room apartment. "This is the place."
He knocked, and a young girl opened the door, peered out, and ran inside calling to her mother, "Some people came to visit us! I think they are Zakaah donors!" The girl's mother soon appeared with a wide smile on her face.
"Please, please come in," the woman said. The young, bright eyes around the room made it clear that the young girl was not an only child. Two boys and two girls were being raised by this widowed woman in extremely meagre circumstances. After the woman made sure that they had come for Zakaah, she whispered almost to herself, "The feast is the day after tomorrow and I thought that the Zakaah donors had forgotten us this year. Oh thanks be to Allah! The children need new clothes, shoes, toys, and good food during the three days of the feast."
Hebah's father gave the woman a sum of money, as the whole family asked Allah to purify and increase their visitors' wealth.
Zakaah, the Islamic religious tax, is paid annually by Muslims around the world, usually during the month-long fast of Ramadan. Zakaah is the fourth pillar of Islam and is considered as important as regular prayer, fasting and pilgrimage to Makkah.
Every Muslim — male or female — must pay the Zakaah at different rates on crops, harvests, herds, gold and silver, cash, profit from business and on investments. With different rates on different possessions, Zakaah can become as complex as the Tax Code. For example, Precious stones, if worn regularly as jewellery, need not be taxed. However, if the same precious stones are used to produce income could be considered an investment, then it receives the 2.5 percent Zakaah tax.
Muslims do not consider the annual tax a burden, though it is required in Islam. Zakaah is a form of charity. But it is also an expression of kindness and a spiritual investment. In this light, Zakaah is comparable to financial donations given in the Judeo-Christian religions.
Literally, Zakaah means "purification" in Arabic, and the Quran speaks regularly of paying the Zakaah in order to purify the donor's heart as well as the donor's possessions. Every Muslim realizes that giving to the poor is not only a generous gesture by the donors; it is a Muslim's responsibility as a recipient of Allah’s blessings.
Some Muslim countries have incorporated the Zakaah into their state budgets. Countries such as Pakistan, Sudan and Saudi Arabia have formalized Zakaah into a tax-like system. Others Muslim countries, and those Muslims living in non-Muslim countries such as the United States, UK, Australia, South Africa etc are free to pay Zakaah directly to those who are in need. While in Jordan, the Al-Disi family paid their 2.5 percent directly to such a family.
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