Is Ramadan the best time to pay Zakat?
5 min read
The five pillars support the basic structure of Islam. These five pillars are an essential part of belief, and without faith in any of these means, you are not a true Muslim.
Zakat forms the third pillar of Islam, right after tauheed, belief in the Oneness and Unity of Allah, and Salah, the five daily prayers. Translated, Zakat means ‘to purify or cleanse.’ In practice, Zakat refers to the obligatory charity that every adult Muslim must give each year in the name of Allah.
It is important to know the significance and the best way to give Zakat to fulfil your duty as a Muslim. Often there are many misconceptions surrounding Zakat. Let us dispel these misconceptions.
Significance Of Zakat In Islam
Zakat is a basic pillar of Islam, right after belief in Allah’s Oneness and the five daily prayers. While the Arabic word Zakat means “to purify,” the idea behind charity is to cleanse our earnings and wealth. Allah commands giving charity in the following words of the Holy Quran:
“Establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and bow down with those who bow down” [2:43]
First and foremost, Zakat is obligatory since Allah Almighty commands it. Alms-giving is an integral part of faith. By giving Zakat, we are following Allah’s command and gaining His pleasure.
Zakat is seen as means to ‘cleanse’ our wealth. Belief in the Hereafter requires us as Muslims to realize that this world and everything in it is temporary. Our wealth and material possessions will only help us in this world. By giving charity, Muslims denounce material things in favor of Allah’s pleasure, which will help us in the Hereafter.
It is a great way to ensure that wealth circulation takes place. It prevents the rich from getting richer and the poor from becoming poorer. It creates a healthy balance within the economy so everyone can afford the necessities of life.
Furthermore, Zakat strengthens the community. Almsgiving makes the well-off care for the underprivileged in society. This encourages the development of a fairer society where every individual is cared for. It also reduces crime, like theft and dishonest business practices.
Manner Of Giving Zakat
Now that you know just how important Zakat is and how beneficial it is for society, it is necessary to see who should pay Zakat and how to calculate it.
Every adult Muslim who is financially independent and owns assets that meet the minimum requirement for giving to charity should give Zakat. Zakat is calculated for the whole year. This means it is an annual practice.
The minimum amount of wealth that makes Zakat obligatory is called nisab. There are clear Islamic laws on how various assets are taxed and given as charity.
Assets like cash in hand, gold, silver, and property must be accounted for to calculate the value of the Zakat. There is a different minimum requirement for each asset. For cash in hand, cash equal to the value of 85 grams of gold or more is liable for Zakat at a rate of 2.5%. Similarly, agricultural produce over 635 kg is taxed at 5% if the investment is made into irrigation and other inputs and 10% if no such investment has been made.
You can search and find out exactly how much Zakat you owe each year by accounting for every asset you own. You can find Zakat calculators for free online that have made computing Zakat convenient.
It is not enough to know how much Zakat you must pay each year. Giving the Zakat to the individuals who qualify for Zakat is also important. The eight categories of people who should receive Zakat are mentioned in the Holy Quran. Allah proclaims in the Holy Book:
“Alms-tax is only for the poor and the needy, for those employed to administer it, for those whose hearts are attracted to the faith, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, for Allah’s cause, and needy travelers. This is an obligation to Allah l. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [9:60]
Allah Almighty designs Zakat to bring the most benefit to everyone involved. Not only do receivers of Zakat benefit, but so do the people who pay it. It is a wonderful system that helps to create a more equitable and peaceful society, Allahu Akbar.
Paying Zakat
Zakat does not have to be paid in a single transaction. If the amount seems too large, individuals can make payments throughout the year to make it easy to pay.
This convenience makes it even easier to pay the Zakat since breaking down Zakat into smaller payments makes it less of a burden to bear. Aside from the convenience, it also means you can help someone with a genuine need any time of the year.
Paying Zakat During Ramadan
While it is clear that Zakat can be paid at any time and does not have to be a single payment, many think Zakat should only be paid during Ramadan.
It is not obligatory to pay Zakat during Ramadan. However, the month is full of blessings and Allah’s pleasure. This is why so many people prefer to pay their Zakat during Ramadan. It is not an obligation but rather a preference.
Ramadan is an exceptionally blessed month. It is by far the holiest month in Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims offer extra prayers and try to do as many good deeds as possible. Ramadan is the month of blessings according to Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAWW). A tradition narrated by Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) goes as follows:
“The Messenger of Allah (SAWW) said: ‘There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month, which Allah, the Mighty, and Sublime, has enjoined you to fast. In it, the gates of the heavens are opened and the gates of Hell are closed, and every devil is chained up. In it Allah has a night which is better than a thousand months; whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.'” [Sunan an-Nasai, Book 22, Hadith 17]
The Hadith above perfectly encapsulates the significance of Ramadan and the blessings it brings.
Many other authentic traditions inform us how any act of worship in the month of Ramadan is rewarded many times more than the same act of worship at any other time of the year.
To gain the maximum benefit and get Allah’s pleasure, it is desirable to pay Zakat during Ramadan if one can do so easily. Ramadan is also when the needy and the underprivileged need our help the most since they are also fasting. It makes sense to pay the Zakat during Ramadan. It is important to note that it is desirable, but not obligatory, to do so. There is no better time of the year to pay the Zakat than the holy month of Ramadan.
