The Importance of Zakat
Of the five pillars of Islam, two are highlighted every year during the blessed month of Ramadan. Fasting, or sawm, is the obvious one, but many Muslims choose to pay their Zakat this time of the year due to the increased rewards of the month. But what is the importance of Zakat?
“And establish prayer and give Zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.” (2:110, Qur'an)
Zakat, is the third pillar of Islam, and is an obligatory act of charity for Muslims. It is a means for the purification of wealth and helps us grow in our faith by helping those who need it most.
There are two types of zakat - Zakat Al Fitr, and Zakat Al Mal. The difference between the two lies in eligibility and in timing. Zakat Al Fitr, or fitrana, is to be paid by every Muslim of any age and is a fixed amount that roughly covers the cost of one meal. Fitrana is paid during Ramadan and must be paid before Eid prayer, so it is received by the person in need before Eid.
Zakat Al Mal is the second type of zakat that is only obligatory upon Muslims who meet the criteria to pay it. This is paid by every capable Muslim who possesses wealth over the Nisab—the minimum amount a Muslim must make before Zakat becomes obligatory—they must pay 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat. Zakat is to be paid annually and is not limited to Ramadan, but many Muslims choose to pay their Zakat in the month of Ramadan due to the increased reward.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of (voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no. 1887].
The distribution of Zakat helps us combat income inequality and support those in our communities who need it most, like women and children impacted by poverty, homelessness and domestic violence in our communities. At Sakeenah, we work to help women and children strive and ensure your Zakat is given to those who need it most.
This Ramadan, Consider donating your Zakat to a local organization like Sakeenah Canada. All of our programming is 100% Zakat eligible and our policy was developed in consultation with scholars. You can read more about our Zakat policy here.
Written by Hira Irfan - Marketing Coordinator at Sakeenah Canada. I love anything creative and using that creativity to serve my community. I’m a proud cat mom of two!
About Sakeenah
Sakeenah Canada, a national charitable organization, was founded in 2018 in response to a gap in culturally and religiously sensitive services available for women and children facing domestic violence and homelessness. Since then, our services have expanded to include mental health therapy and counseling. Sakeenah has also started The People’s Market, a food program that helps combat food insecurity, and has become the first licensed foster care agency for Muslim children in all of North America. We currently operate 8 transitional homes across Canada: Toronto, Brampton, Milton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Regina, in addition to the first long-term housing program for Muslim women and children in Canada, in Windsor.
Charitable Registration Number: 776013310 RR 0001
