All Praises are due to Allah alone, and may the Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him (Muhammad peace and blessing be upon him) after whom there is no Prophet, and upon his family and companions.
To proceed:
I wrote this treatise in order to sincerely advise and remind [the Muslims] about the obligation of Zakaah, a matter in which many Muslims have been too careless and lenient. Many do not offer their Zakaah in accordance to what has been legislated in the religion, despite its greatness and its being one of the five pillars of Islam without which it (Islam) cannot stand. The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said:
«Islam has been built (by Allah) upon five: The testimony (Shahaadah) that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (Laa ilaaha ill-Allah, Muhammad-ur-Rasoolullaah); establishing Salaah, giving Zakaah, Fasting (Sawm) the month of Ramadan, and performing Hajj to the House [of Allah] (the Ka’bah)» (Bukhari and Muslim).
The fact that Zakaah is an obligation upon the Muslims is one of the most apparent indications of the beauty of Islam and the concern it has for its adherents. The benefits of Zakaah are indeed numerous, and (it has been made obligatory) due to the dire need of the poor amongst the Muslims.
From its benefits are the following:
1. It strengthens the bonds of love between the rich and the poor, for it is from human nature that a person shows affinity to those who treat them well.
2. It purifies and cleanses the soul and distances it from greed and avarice, as indicated in the Noble Qur`aan when Allah says:
{خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا}
'Translation' {Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it} [Surah at-Tawbah:103].
3. It causes Muslims to grow accustomed to performing acts of generosity, hospitality and empathy towards those who are in need.
4. It brings increase and blessings to one’s wealth, and Allah replaces it (the wealth given as charity with something better), as Allah said:
{وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ ۖ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ}
'Translation' {And whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allah's Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers} [Surah as-Saba´39].
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In a Saheeh (authentic) hadeeth, the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said: O child of Adam! Spend in charity and We (Allah) will spend on you.
There are numerous other benefits that may be found in the legislation of Zakaah.
A severe warning has been issued to those who do not offer Zakaah out of greed as well as those who fall short in doing so. Allah said:
{وَالَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ الذَّهَبَ وَالْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ . يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ ۖ هَٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ}
“And those who hoard up gold and silver (al-kanz: the money, the Zakaah of which has not been paid], and spend it not in the Way of Allah, - announce unto them a painful torment. On the Day when that (al-kanz: money, gold and silver, etc., the Zakaat of which has not been paid) will be heated in the Fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them): ‘This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard’.” [Surah at-Tawbah:34-35].
Any type of wealth from which Zakaah has not been offered is regarded as hoarded up treasure (al-kanz) for which one will be punished on the Day of Judgement. This has been indicated in the saheeh hadeeth in which the Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, said:
«No owner of gold or silver who does not offer its due right (Zakaah) except that in the Day of Judgement, plates of fire will be beaten out for him, and they will be heated in the Fire of Jahannam (Hell) and their flanks, foreheads, and their backs will be branded with them. Whenever they will cool, it will be done again to them, on a Day of which its length is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between all His slaves. He will see his path, either to Jannah (Paradise), or to Jahannam» (Muslim).
The Prophet then further mentioned (in the hadeeth) that one who owns camel, cattle, and sheep and does not offer the Zakaah due upon it will be punished through them on the Day of Judgement.
It has also been authentically reported of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessing be upon him, that he said: «Whomever Allah has provided with wealth and does not offer the Zakaah due upon it, on the Day of Judgement it will be made into a baldheaded poisonous male snake with two black spots over the eyes. The snake will encircle his neck and bite his cheeks and say, ‘I am your wealth, I am your hoarded treasure!» The Prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, then recited Allah’s saying:
{وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ هُوَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّ لَّهُمْ ۖ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُوا بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ}
'Translation' {And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allah has bestowed on them of His Bounty (Wealth) think that it is good for them (and so they do not pay the obligatory Zakaah). Nay, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld shall be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection} [Surah Aali ‘Imraan:180].
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