Salaamun alaykum, dear readers!
We at Masjid at-Tajdeed strive to follow Quran as the sole source of Islamic guidance, without any source of law that the Quran didn’t authorize (such as Hadith and Sunnah).
Here is the evidence in one of our foundational articles: https://www.masjidtajdeed.org/investigation-and-analysis-the-quran-alone/
So let us examine how to do Zakat from the Quran only.
The word “Zakat” is a verbal noun that means “purification” in Arabic. So the Zakat is like an obligatory charity, meant for purifying one’s self thorough generosity.
It can be considered as an income tax, but rather than giving it to the government, it has to be given to the poor and needy.
When someone receives income (such as their biweekly paycheck) and it arrives at the bank, part of it has to be given away to the relatives, the needy, the homeless, people in debt, etc on the same day that the paycheck or income is received.
People can give whatever amount as long as they adhere to the Quranic command of not being too stingy, nor too excessive, when giving the Zakat.
The following Quranic verse tells how often to give the Zakat:
- [6:141] And He is the one who produced gardens which are trellised and not trellised, as well as the date-palm, the plants that differ, the olive, and the pomegranate, analogous and non-analogous. Eat from its fruit when it bears fruit, and give its “haqq” (due) on the day of its harvest, and do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like the excessive ones.
Verse 6:141 tells when to give the Zakat. The phrase “give its due” indicates that this is talking about the Quranic Zakat, because a mandatory portion of one’s harvest to be charitably given away is an obligatory charity.
Verse 70:24-25 states that there is a “specified due” to be given away from one’s wealth to the beggars and the deprived, indicating that the specified due which was mentioned in verse 6:141 doesn’t apply only to crops harvested from the field, but to one’s own income as well. That is because just as we do labor in the field and harvest crops as payout, income is earned as our “harvest” after doing some work at our jobs.
- [70:24-25] And the ones in whose wealth is a specified “haqq” (due), for the beggars and the deprived.
So once again, Zakat is payable on all income received, and all crops harvested, on the day of harvest. If it is income from work, then the day of harvest is the day when one receives the paycheck in the bank.
The amount to give is “the surplus”, which means the Zakat can be extracted from disposable income, without spending so much that there isn’t enough for mandatory spending costs, according to verse 2:219.
Verse 17:29 says the same thing, that person should neither be too stingy, nor giving away so much that it will cause them to be in financial trouble and regret it later.
- [2:219] And they ask you what they should spend. Say, “The surplus.” Like that, God clarifies the Ayat for you, so that you may reflect
- [17:29] But you shall neither make your hand shackled to your neck, nor extend all of the extension of it, lest you sit faulted, regretful.
According to the Quran, Zakat is a form of charity (Sadaqah). Verse 9:103 says to accept charities (sadaqah) from the wealth of others and “tuzakeehim” (purify them) by accepting the charity. The word Zakat is a noun, and “tuzakeehim” is a verb form of the noun. This verse defines charity as something given from one’s wealth, and if Zakat is also defined as taken from one’s harvest (6:141) then the Zakat is defined in the Quran as a form of charity (Sadaqat).
- [9:103] Take from their wealth a charity. Cleanse them and purify them with it, and grant support upon them. Indeed, your support is a tranquility for them, and God is Hearing, Knowledgeable.
Given that the Zakat is defined as a form of sadaqah (charity), verse 9:60 informs us that charities are able to be given to those who work on their collection and distribution, as long as they are reliable and sending your donations where you want them to be sent.
That means Zakat (which is a charity) can be given to the masjid or other organizations who will decide where to allocate it. This is one of the benefits of founding a masjid, as worshippers can delegate the task of distributing the Zakat and other charities.
- [9:60] The charities are only for the poor, the needy, those who work on it, the ones whose hearts are reconciled, as well as concerning the slaves, the indebted ones, in the way of God, and the wayfarer, an obligation from God; God is Knowledgeable, Wise.
Sunni-style Zakat vs. Quran-alone Zakat
We must know that unlike what is said in Hadith, the Sunni-style Zakat or Hadith-based Zakat severely violates the Quranic Zakat in many ways, both in text and in spirit.
According to a sahih Hadith from Abu Dawud (no. 1573), Zakat is not due on income but on savings, and the savings have to be one lunar year old at minimum for one to pay Zakat from it. This principle is known as “al-hawl” in Sunni jurisprudence.
So the way to correctly apply al-hawl for Sunni-style Zakat is to look at earnings or bank statements for the 353 days before Eid ul-Fitr (occurring on the 1st of Shawwal in the Islamic calendar), then subtract all earned income from all spending to get the amount saved during the past 353 days, then subtract this result from the total amount of liquid wealth currently in possession to derive the amount of saved money that is one-year old or older. The reason for subtracting away the savings that are 353 days old at time of Eid-ul-Fitr is because there are 354 days in a lunar year.
So for example, I have about $5900 saved at the time of this writing. During Eid-ul-Fitr, which was several months ago on Shawwal 1, 1446 AH in the Islamic calendar as of the time of this writing, I would have had to go back and check my bank statements from Shawwal 3, 1445 AH until Shawwal 1, 1446 AH (the past 353 days) and subtract how much I spent during this period from the income that I earned during this 353-day period to get the total savings that are 353 days old or less. Then that total is subtracted from the current $5900 to get the amount of savings which are 354 days old or older.
Then if the savings which are 354 or more days old is at or above the “nisab” (20 dinars, or 85 grams of gold, which in today’s money is about $9000), I would be obligated to pay only 2.5% from it according to the Hadiths if I did the Sunni-style Zakat.
Most of my current savings are less than a lunar year old admittedly, but even if all $5900 of my savings were 1 or more years old, this still falls under the current “nisab” threshold of $9000 so I am not considered someone who should pay Zakat according to Hadith and Sunni thought.
If I met the nisab and had $9000 in savings aged 1 year or more, the only Zakat I’d be obligated to pay is a paltry sum of $225 (2.5% of $9000).
Now let’s examine the Quranic Zakat.
I (a low-middle class worker) make about $1122 every 2 weeks, and I pay Zakat on the day of harvest (the day the money is deposited to my bank), giving away about 10% of my paycheck.
I do this about twice a month since I have two “harvest days, or pay days” per month. So this adds up to almost $2700 in Zakat yearly for someone who makes as little as I do.
Yet Sunnis who are much more wealthy than me probably are not paying any Zakat since they don’t meet the “hawl” and “nisab” requirements in the Hadith, and even if they do, the amount they give probably does not exceed $300.
So which system truly fulfills the Quran’s vision of Zakat as a tool to fight poverty: the legitimate Quranic Zakat which is straightforward, frequent, income-based, and is better able to meet the immediate needs of the community as they arise?
Or is it the illegitimate Hadith-based Zakat which is savings-based, delays giving until a year has passed, makes the wealth threshold for payable Zakat too high, and often proves too infrequent and complex to meet the immediate needs of those who are struggling?
Recommended Zakat Method
How are Sikh temples able to feed millions of people daily for free, despite there being less than 1% of the world’s population?
- One reason is because the concept of langar (free community kitchen) is mandatory in their faith. We will, God-willing, create our own langar in this mosque.
- Another is because their form of Zakat is giving 10% of their paycheck or income to charity, and that money supports the services offered at Sikh temples like the langar.
This is exactly why my personal opinion is: for the Zakat, every person on Earth should pick one of the following ratio to give away for Zakat from their paycheck or whatever money they earn, small and large:
- Option A: 10% of their total after-tax income, as inspired by the Sikh version of Zakat (known as dasvandh).
- Option B: 1/4 of their disposable income after all necessities (food, rent, water, gas, electricity, internet, phone bills, debt, and medical expenses) are covered.
- Pick option A, or option B, whichever option has the smaller amount of money for you.
If someone has a lot of disposable income, then option A would be easier. But if someone has very little disposable income after covering all necessities, option B is the easiest.
Then donate at least 25% of that money (whether from option A or option B) to your nearest homeless shelter, and 25% to your nearest food bank, on the same day that you receive your paychecks or any kind of income in your bank account or pocket.
- I don’t care if the homeless shelter or food bank is Christian or Hindu, or Sikh, if they provide services to all people in need without discrimination, then it is permissible to give them your Zakat money. The Quran does not say to discriminate on the basis of faith when choosing who to give the Zakat to.
Then donate the other 50% to any other people or organizations of choice, such as family members, close friends, or any other trusted local or international organization that distributes charities (including places of worship).
- Why prioritize food banks and homeless shelters first before other individuals and organizations? That’s because the immediate needs of the poor and homeless people are food and shelter.
- It would comfort their hearts greatly, knowing they have a reliable safety net near them in case of hard times, and regardless of how much government funding these places get.
So let’s say you earned about $8000 last month after taxes.
- If you picked Option A, you would donate 10% of that $8000, which is $800. 25% of the $800 would go to your nearest food bank, and another 25% of the $800 can go to your nearest homeless shelter, and the remaining 50% can go to a trusted non-profit charity organization such as this masjid.
- Or let’s say you picked option B, and after all necessary expenditures (food, rent/mortgage, water, gas, electricity, internet, phone bills, debt, and medical expenses only) you are left with $5000 as your disposable income. 1/4 of this disposable income is $1250. Then, 25% of the $1250 would go to your nearest food bank, another 25% for the nearest homeless shelter, and the remaining 50% to whichever charity organization or needy individuals you wish.
Whether rich or poor, if every person on Earth did this every time they received any sort of income in their bank, on the same day they receive their income, the world would be a much better place to live, and poverty or financial insecurity would be so much more bearable.
The Zakat isn’t just for inner spiritual cleansing or nourishment, but through it, we are supposed to make a real impact in people’s lives.
And now that we know how to pay Zakat from the Quran alone, we Muslims must act now, fulfill this obligation to God, and set the example for the rest of the world.
Charity System at Masjid at-Tajdeed
The way Masjid at-Tajdeed distributes the charities is: one-fourth goes to the nearest food bank, another fourth goes to the nearest homeless shelter, and the remaining half is reserved for community service, our upcoming community kitchen, and helping those who approach this masjid in a state of need.
Now you know the Zakat system from the Quran alone, so follow it, and God-willing He will repay you generously in the Hereafter.
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