The
purification of the heart is very important. A believer cannot perfect their
(i.e. his or her) faith in Islam without purifying their heart and soul. With
the month of Ramadan, which serves as a training for the upcoming 11 months,
Allah has provided several means in a believer’s life to not only purify their
wealth but also their heart. One of these means is Zakat.
The Creator (Allah) and His beloved Messenger (pbuh) have
always linked the purification of the body with that of the heart. Zakat
purifies the heart and has several meanings. According to the root of its
letters (Ze, Kaaf, Waw), Zakat means ‘to purify,’ ‘the purification of the
heart,’ or even ‘the complete purification of the heart,’ which includes the
purification of our soul and inner self. The purification of the heart involves
the purification of all the members of our body.
Allah has established Zakat to purify our hearts and our possessions. Through Zakat, Allah illuminates our hearts as well as all the other members of our body. When we give Zakat in the way of our Creator, our possessions and our souls are purified. Why? Because of the joy it brings, and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to do it wholeheartedly, helping the needy, which brought him much contentment as he spread wealth to the poor to eradicate poverty and give the needy the chance to live with dignity. This joy of the Prophet (pbuh) was translated into a radiant smile, his heart flooded with contentment for helping others, especially Muslims - those who believed in the one true God and in him (pbuh) as the Prophet of Allah.