Read the Extracts from the Friday Sermon Below:
In the Holy Qur'an, Allah (swt) says:
“And be steadfast in prayer (Salaat); practice regular charity (Zakaat).” (Al-Baqara, 2: 44)
“Take of their riches a donation to purify them and to cleanse them thereby; and pray for them; surely your prayer is sereneness (i.e., tranquillity) for them; and Allah is Ever-Hearing, Ever Knowing. Do they not know that it is God Himself who accepts repentance from His servants and receives what is given freely for His sake and that He is The Accepter of repentance, The Most Merciful?” (At-Tauba, 9:103-104)
“None of you [believers] will attain true piety unless you give out of what you cherish: whatever you give, God knows about it very well.” (Al-Imran, 3:93)
Allah (swt) has announced a severe punishment for those who do not pay their Zakaat, when it has become necessary for them to pay it. He warns us in these terms in the Holy Quran:
“O you who believe! Many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks devour the wealth of mankind wantonly and debar (men) from the way of Allah. They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto them give tidings of a painful doom, On the day when it will (all) be heated in the fire of hell, and their foreheads and their flanks and their backs will be branded therewith (and it will be said unto them): Here is that which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.” (At-Tauba, 9: 34-35)
According to Islamic law (Shariah), Zakaat is compulsory alms (Faraz) on all Muslims who have the means and this once every year, or for those who do not have the means to pay it in one whole sum, Islam being a model, perfect and flexible Deen [way of life / religion], it allows us to pay for it in instalments throughout the current year. It [Zakaat] is one of the five pillars of Islam. And he who does not pay it properly becomes a great sinner.
There are many verses from the Holy Qur'an - other than I mentioned to you - where Allah (swt) reminds us of this duty, and in these few verses of the Holy Qur'an that I have just put before you, Allah emphasizes the importance of Zakaat. It is so important that the first Caliph of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra), in his time of reign, declared infidels those who do not accept to pay/ give away Zakaat and he even declared war on them. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) also warned that there will be punishments when Zakaat is not paid when it has become necessary to pay it.
Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) said: “I have been ordered to fight the people until they recognize that there is no god but Allah, that they perform prayer and pay legal alms. If they do, they will preserve their person and their property from me, subject to the law of Islam. Their final accounts belong to God.” (Bukhari & Muslim)
In addition, he (pbuh) said: “Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakaat of his wealth, then [on the Day of Resurrection] his wealth will be made like a bald-headed [poisonous male] snake which encircles him [by the neck] by saying, ‘I am your wealth, I am your treasure.’
Then the Prophet recited the holy verse:-
“And let not those who hoard up that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty think that it is better for them. No, it is worse for them. That which they hoard will be their collar on the Day of Resurrection. Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is fully informed of what you do.” [Al-Imran, 3: 181] (Bukhari & Muslim)
The principle is to offer each year a fortieth of one’s fortune, that is to say 2.5% annually [whether in one go or in small instalments]. The regime of Islam does not foresee misery in society through Zakaat but unfortunately many Muslims do not realize its importance and do not fulfil this duty. If Zakaat was managed properly, then many evils in Muslim society and in the world could have been avoided.
Alms called Sadaqa-e-Fitr (i.e. Fitra) is a Sadaqa that Allah has made Waajib (obligatory) for all rich and poor Muslims. Its purpose is to “cleanse” our fasts. Indeed, when one was in a state of fasting during Ramadan, without paying attention, one has certainly committed small sins or bad deeds without knowledge. These bad actions have the consequence of diminishing the value of our fasts in terms of its acceptance by Allah (swt). The offering of Sadaqa-e-Fitr has the effect of cleansing this great Ibaadah which is fasting. We must remember that it must be paid/ given (to the poor and needy) before the Salat of Eid-ul-Fitr. Know that it [i.e. Sadaqa-e-Fitr] is (Waajib) obligatory for every person in your household who is alive at the dawn of the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Parents must pay Fitra for their offspring/ dependents. Regarding the Fitra, we can give away this Fitra in person or give it to the mosques or the Jamaat with the treasurer or a person in charge of collecting this fund, so that he/ they may distribute it.
I sincerely hope that these clarifications will be of benefit to you in the accomplishment of these great Ibaadat. Insha-Allah.
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