Qur'anic Commandments- 6
‘And in their wealth and belongings was a rightful share for those who
asked for help and for those who could not.’ (51:20)
‘…and observe Prayer, and pay the
Zakāt, and set apart a goodly portion of your possessions to give for the sake of Allah. And whatever good you send on before
you for your souls, you will find it with Allah. It will be better and greater
in reward …’ (73:21)
‘And whoso is rid of the
covetousness of his own soul–it is these who will be successful.’
(59:10)
‘Zakat’
is a Qur’anic injunction: an obligation on rich believers to part with a share
of their resources and wealth with the needy members of society, in pursuit of
individual well-being and collective development. Among numerous teachings that
Islam recommends to ‘flatten’ the glaring inequities of the social order- where
different classes of people live together with diverse fortunes; altruism and
philanthropy are promoted through faith practices such as ‘Zakat’ and
‘Sadaqah’. Whereas Zakat denotes compulsory giving binding on all the rich,
Sadaqah is voluntary giving strongly recommended on all believers who seek
spiritual merit in Divine pleasure.
The
Holy Qur’an speaks about Zakat, in over 80 places; almost always join the
payment of Zakat along with the
observance of Prayer (Al- Salat) -
both together constituting among the primary obligations of Aqeedah Islamiah. “And
they were not commanded but to serve Allah, bearing true faith in Him, (and) being upright, and to
observe Prayer, and to keep on presenting the Zakat. That is the true and firm conduct of faith”. (98:6)
The payment of Zakat and Sadaqah by the believer in service of fellow humans and the society at large has many beneficial consequences. As the Holy Book notes concerning Sadaqah, “the alms are only for the poor and the needy, and for those employed in connection therewith, and for those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for the freeing of slaves, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer—an ordinance from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (9:60)
The
believer stands to benefit from these good deeds in both visible and subtle,
spiritual ways: “And whatever of
wealth you spend, it is for yourselves, while you spend not but to seek the
favour of Allah. And whatever of wealth you spend, it shall be paid back
to you in full and you shall not be wronged” (2:274)
Altruistic
individuals not just stand to derive inner happiness from their generous
outreach, but they also contribute to betterment of the social conditions that
attract Divine forgiveness, mercy, pleasure and blessings on them and their
progeny in this world and the world to come; the Qur’an alludes in so many
verses: “And those who persevere in seeking the favour of their Lord, and
observe Prayer, and spend out of that with which We have provided them,
secretly and openly, and repel evil with good. It is these who shall have
the best reward of the final abode” (13:23).
Likewise, the Book of God condemns in no uncertain terms those who remain
indifferent to the social obligations on payment of Zakat.
Read the Qur'anic commandments Below:
‘Restrain your hands, observe Prayer and pay the Zakat’ (4:78)
And observe
Prayer and pay the Zakat, and bow down with those who bow (2:44)
Who
observe Prayer and pay the Zakat, and have firm faith in the Hereafter. (27:4)
Those who observe Prayer and pay the Zakat and who have firm faith in the Hereafter. (31:5)
Those
who, if We establish them in the earth, will observe Prayer and pay the Zakat
and enjoin good and forbid evil. And with Allah rests the final issue of all
affairs. (22:42)
And
We made them leaders who guided people by Our command, and We
sent revelation to them enjoining the doing of good works, and
the observance of Prayer, and the giving of alms. And Us alone they
worshipped. (21:74)
And remember
the time when We took a covenant from the children
of Israel: ‘You shall worship nothing but Allah and show kindness
to parents and to kindred and orphans and the poor, and speak to men kindly
and observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat’; then you turned away
in aversion, except a few of you. (2:84)
Observe
Prayer, and pay the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger.
(33:34).
And
strive in the cause of Allah as it behoves you to strive for
it. He has chosen you, and has laid no hardship upon you in religion; so
follow the faith of your father Abraham; He named you Muslims both before
and in this Book, so that the Messenger may be a
witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over mankind. Therefore observe
Prayer and pay the Zakat, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Master. An
excellent Master and an excellent Helper! (22:79)
It
is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but
truly righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and
the Book and the Prophets, and spends his money for love of
Him, on the kindred and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and those
who ask for charity, and for ransoming the
captives; and who observes Prayer and pays the Zakat; and those who
fulfil their promise when they have made one, and the patient in poverty
and afflictions and the steadfast in time of war; it
is these who have proved truthful and it is these who are the God-fearing.
(2:178)
He
alone can keep the Mosques of Allah in a good and flourishing condition who
believes in Allah, and the Last Day, and observes Prayer, and pays the Zakat,
and fears none but Allah; so these it is who may be among those who reach the
goal. (9:18)
SPENDING IN THE DIVINE WAY
Allah
sets forth for you the parable of a slave who is owned, having
no power over anything; and a free man whom We have provided
with a fair provision from Ourself, and he spends thereof secretly and
openly. Are they equal? Praise be to Allah! But most of them know not. (16:76)
‘Spend
yourself and your belongings in the cause of Allah and do not push yourselves
into ruins with your own hands, and be benevolent, surely Allah loves the
benevolent.’ (2:196)
‘He
has made me blessed wherever I may be, and has enjoined upon me Prayer and
alms-giving so long as I live’. (19:32)
Say
to My servants who have believed that they should observe Prayer, and spend
out of what We have given them, secretly and openly, before there comes a
day wherein there will be neither bargaining nor friendship. (14:32)
Who
is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan? So He will increase it
manifold for him, and he will have a generous reward. (57:12)
As
to the
men who give alms, and the women who give alms, and those who lend to Allah a
goodly loan—it will be increased manifold for them, and theirs will be a noble
reward— (57:19)
If
you lend to Allah a goodly loan, He will multiply it for you, and will forgive
you; and Allah is Most Appreciating, Forbearing. (64:18)
‘The
similitude of those who spend their wealth for the cause of Allah is like the
similitude of a grain of corn which grows seven ears, in each ear a hundred
grains. And Allah multiplies it further for whomsoever He pleases and Allah is
bountiful. All-Knowing.’ (2:262)
If
you give alms openly, it is well and good; but if you conceal them and
give them to the poor, it is better for you; and He will remove from
you many of your sins. And Allah is aware of what you do. (2:272)
‘Those
who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah, by night and by day, secretly and
openly, have their reward with their Lord; on them shall come no fear, nor
shall they grieve.’ (2:275)
‘Those
who spend their wealth in the cause of Allah, then follow not up that which
they have spent with reproaches and injury, their reward is with their Lord.
They shall have no fear nor shall they grieve … O ye who believe, render not
vain your alms by reproaches or injury, like one who spends his wealth to be
seen of people and believes not in Allah and the Last Day. His case is like
that of a smooth rock covered with earth, on which heavy rain falls and washes
it clean, leaving it bare and hard. Such people shall not secure for themselves
aught of that which they earn. Allah guides not the disbelieving people.’
(2:265)
BENEFITS ON THOSE WHO PAY ZAKAT
And
observe Prayer and give the Zakat and obey the Messenger, that you may be shown
mercy. (24:57)
My
mercy encompasses all things; so I will ordain it for those who act righteously,
and pay the Zakat and those who believe in Our Signs. (7:157)
And
the believers, men and women, are friends one of another. They
enjoin good and forbid evil and observe Prayer and pay
the Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is these on
whom Allah will have mercy. Surely, Allah is Mighty and Wise.
(9:71)
Surely,
those who believe and do good deeds, and observe Prayer and
pay the Zakat, shall have their reward from their Lord, and no fear shall
come on them, nor shall they grieve. (2:278)
And observe
Prayer and pay the Zakat; and whatever good you send on
before you for yourselves, you shall find it with Allah; surely, Allah sees all
that you do. (2:111)
‘And
the case of those who spend their wealth to seek the pleasure of Allah and to
strengthen their souls is like the case of a garden on elevated ground. Heavy
rain falls on it so that it brings forth its fruit twofold. And if heavy rain
does not fall on it, then light rain suffices. And Allah sees what you do.’
(2:266)
Whatever you pay as interest that it may
increase the wealth of the people, it does not increase in the sight of Allah;
but whatever you give in Zakat seeking the favour of Allah—it is these who will
increase their wealth manifold. (30: 40)
But those
among them who are firmly grounded in knowledge, and the believers,
believe in what has been sent down to thee and what was sent down before thee,
and especially those who observe Prayer and those who pay the Zakat
and those who believe in Allah and the Last Day. To these will We surely give a
great reward. (4:163)
And
indeed Allah did take a covenant from the children of Israel; and We
raised among them twelve leaders. And Allah said, ‘Surely, I am with you. If
you observe Prayer, and pay the Zakat, and believe in My Messengers and support
them, and lend to Allah a goodly loan, I will remove your evils from you
and admit you into Gardens beneath which streams flow. But whoso from
among you disbelieves thereafter does stray away from the right path.’ (5: 13)
THOSE WHO DO NOT PAY
Who
give not the Zakat, and they it is who disbelieve in the Hereafter. (41:8)
‘And
let not those, who are niggardly with respect to what Allah has given them of
His bounty, think that it is good for them; nay, it is evil for them. That with
respect to which they were niggardly shall be put as a collar round their necks
on the day of Resurrection.’ (3:181)
‘... And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah
— give to them the tidings of a painful punishment. On the day when it shall be
made hot in the fire of Hell, and their foreheads and their sides and their
backs shall be branded therewith and it shall be said to them: “This is what
you treasured up for yourselves; so now taste what you used to treasure up.’
(9:34-35)
Part 5 of the Series, click here.