Zakat, the second fundamental of Islam, serves as a means of purifying wealth, fostering social solidarity, and empowering the less fortunate, embodying both religious devotion and economic justice

Of the five fundamentals of Islam, Zakat occupies the second positioin, the first being prayer (salat). This word is derived from Zakd, which means it (a plant) grew. The second derivative of this word carries the sense of purificatin, e.g. Qad aflaha man zakkaha (he is indeed successful who purified himself). The other word used for zakat both in the Qur’an and the Hadith is sadaqa which is derived from sidq (the truth). Both these words are highly meaningful.
The spending of wealth for the sake of Allah purifies the heart of man of the love of material wealth. The man who spends it offers that as a humble gift before the Lord and thus affirms the truth that nothing is dearer to him in life than the love of Allah and that he is full prepared to sacrifice everything for His sake. Secondly, zakat is the most effective measure to improve the economic condition of the have-nots. It is not, however, a mere tax, but a form of worship whereby a man comes close to his Lord. The Muslims have, therefore, been enjoined to pay zakat with the same sense of earnestness and devotion in which the seeker of the Lord observes the prayer. The primary motive of zakat is religious and spiritual, while the social and economic aspects are subservient to it. Its social significance is that it awakens in man the sense of brotherhood with less fortunate members of society, and stirs his moral conscience to make sacrifice for their sake.
From the economic point of view it discourages hoarding and concentration of wealth and helps its steady and constant flow from the rich to the poor. It is in fact a good means of providing purchasing power to the poor, for ameliorating their hard lot and enabling them to stand on their own legs.
It should also be remembered that zakat or sadaqa in Islam is not a voluntary act of charity which a rich man gives to the poor out of his own sweet will, but it is an obligatory act which every Muslim is enjoined upon to perform if he is sincere in his belief in God and the Hereafter. Thus there is no burden of obligation on one who receives zakat, but a sense of thankfulness and gratitude on the part of the giver, since he has been enabled by the recipient to discharge his obligation that he owes to God and society.
(O Prophet), take sadaqa (zakat) out of their property-thou wouldst cleanse them and purify them thereby (Qur’an, ix. 103). And away from it (the Hell) shall be kept the most faithful to duty who gives his wealth, purifying himself (xcii. 17-18).
So much is the importance of zakat in Islam that it has been mentioned at eightytwo places in the Qur’an in close connection with prayer. The Companions of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) knew its basic importance in Islam. It is a known fact that after the death of the Apostle of Allah (may peace he upon him) when some of the tribes, who believed in the oneness of God and observed prayer, refused to pay zakat, the first Caliph Abu Bakr Siddiq (Allah be pleased with him), in an answer to the advice of Hadrat ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) to show tolerance towards such people. said in explicit terms, By Allah, I would definitely wage war against them who dissociate prayer from Zakat.
Zakat is paid on the surplus of wealth which is left over after the passage of a year. It is thus a payment on the accumulated wealth. Leaving aside animals and agricultural yield, zakat is paid at almost a uniform rate of two and a half %. The minimum standard of surplus wealth over which zakat is charged is known as Nisab. It differs with different kinds of property, the most important being 200 dirhams or 521 tolas (nearly 21 oz.) In case of silver, and 20 mithqals or 71 tolas (nearly 3 oz.) in case of gold. The nisab of cash is the same as that of gold and silver.
As regards the persons to whom zakat is to be paid, they have been clearly described in the Holy Qur’an: Alms are only for the poor, the needy, the officials charged with the duty of collection, those whose hearts are inclined to truth, the ransoming of captives, those in debt, in the way of Allah, and the wayfarer (ix 60).
SIN OF ONE WHO DOES NOT PAY ZAKAT
Sahih Muslim – Book 5, Number 2161:
Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (way peace be upon him) as saying: If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on him, when the Day of Resurrection would come, plates of fire would be beaten out for him; these would then be heated in the fire of Hell and his sides, his forehead and his back would be cauterized with them. Whenever these cool down, (the process is) repeated during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell. It was said: Messenger of Allah, what about the camel? He (the Holy Prophet) said: If any owner of the camel does not pay what is due on him, and of his due in that (camel) is (also) to milk it on the day when it comes down to water. When the Day of Resurrection comes a soft sandy plain would be set for him, as extensive as possible, (he will find) that not a single young one is missing, and they will trample him with their hoofs and bite him with their mouths. As often as the first of them passes him, the last of them would be made to return during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among servants and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or to Hell.
It was (again) said: Messenger of Allah, what about cows (cattle) and sheep? He said: It any owner of the cattle and sheep does not pay what is due on them, when the Day of Resurrection comes a soft sandy plain would be spread for them, he will find none of them missing, with twisted horns, without horns or with a broken horn, and they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hoofs. As often as the first of them passes him the last of them would be made to return to him during a day the extent of which would be fifty thousand years, until judgment would be pronounced among the servants. And he would be shown his path-path leading him to Paradise or to Hell.
It was said: Messenger of Allah, what about the horse? Upon this he said: The horses are of three types. To one than (these are) a burden, and to another man (these are) a covering, and still to another man (these are) a source of reward. The one for whom these are a burden is the person who rears them in order to show off, for vainglory and for opposing the Muslims; so they are a burden for him. The one for whom these are a covering is the person who rears them for the sake of Allah but does not forget the right of Allah concerning their backs and their necks, and so they are a covering for him. As for those which bring reward (these refer to) the person who rears them for the sake of Allah to be used for Muslims and he puts them in meadow and field. And whatever thing do these eat from that meadow and field would be recorded on his behalf as good deeds, as would also the amount of their dung and urine. And these would not break their halter and prance a course or two without having got recorded the amount of their hoof marks and their dung as a good deed on his behalf (on behalf of their owner). And their master does not bring them past a river from which they drink, though he did not intend to quench their thirst, but Allah would record for him the amount of what they drink on his behalf as deeds.
It was said: Messenger of Allah, what about the asses?, Upon this he said: Nothing has been revealed to me in regard to the asses (in particular) except this one verse of a comprehensive nature: “He who does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and he who does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” (xcix. 7)
Courtesy: Sahih Muslim

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