Zakaath takes care of the poor

By Mohammed NAALIR

Every able person to try and work in search of provision so that it could be sufficient for himself, for his family and contribute in spending in the way of Allah. So, one who cannot do any work has no inheritance to fulfill his need, his kinsmen, bear his expenditure. But every poor person has no rich relative, who can expend for him, what then does a poor and weak person do when he has no able kinsmen to bear his expenditure.

What about the orphans, widows, old women or men, the feeble-minded, chronically ill, blind and handicapped? What about the person who is unable to find a job or work whose income cannot be adequate for him or his family?

Islam did not forget the poor and poverty stricken. Allah has fixed a well-decided right in the wealth of rich men. It is known as 'Zakath (poor-rate) so the first aim of this poor-rate is to make the poor free with the help of these rich people.

Poor people are the first upon whom the poor-rate should be spent even Prophet (PBUH) sometimes mentioned this. See when he sent Mu'adh to Yemen, he ordered him to collect money from rich men and then to give it to the poor.

The poor rate is not a little or simple income. It is the tenth or twentieth of productions; fruits and vegetables on the common meaning of divine saying 'Of what we produce for you from the earth' and the Prophetic saying is 'Tenth of that was which was watered by the sky and twentieth of that which was watered by any instrument.

In our time, the buildings, factories and other products, which give managed income and become the capital of many people, can be applied to the reference of fertile fields.

The poor rate is the tenth of the products of the honey of bees as is mentioned in the traditions.

Analogy,in the opinion of the masses, is one of the principles of Islamic shariah which was revealed there is no difference between the two examples.

The poor rate is also one fourth of the tenth of rupees and trade-money (2.5 percent) for every Muslim according to Shariah Law he is free from debt and has extra after his basic needs are met then he has to give zakath. It is probably, the same regarding animal-money which is utilised for animals like camels, cows and goats according to Sharia Law.

Some companies and their successors dealing with horses and their re-generation. This is the viewpoint of Imam Abu Hanifah.

Regarding the treasures of the ancestors which are found by anyone one fifth has to be given.

All the above-mentioned conditions are regarding the poor-rate of wealth but there is another poor-rate, for. It is called other poor-rate of Fitra which is made by Islamic Shariah at the end of the fasting of the month of Ramadan and the arrival of the festival of 'Id. It was made to Compensate evil during fasting and to honour the poor and making them feel for Islamic society and its members on the occassion of 'Id and their participation in the enjoyment of this festival.

The Messanger of Allah compelled the poor-rate of Fitra, for the purification of fasting from evil and to feed the poor.

It is one of the miracles in Islam and its proof of its divine nature in being an eternal message that it preceded other religions in its care for the poor and the solution of problems of poverty without causing any revolution or requiring the rights from any individual or group. Its care was neither ordinary nor accidental nor secondary among its teachings and laws but it was one of the special basics so there is no wonder if this rate bears the position of being the third pillar in Islam, and also being one of the greatest pillars, guarantees the rights of the poor in the country.

It is narrated in the very famous tradition of Ibn 'Umar that the Prophet (PBUH) said;' Islam was based on five things: Witness of that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger, establishment of Salah, giving the poor-rate, fasting during Ramadan and visiting the Sacred House in Mecca for those who can afford it.