Zakāh — Obligatory Charity
Zakāh — the third pillar of Islam: the 2.5% annual wealth tax, who must pay it, who receives it, and how it purifies both wealth and soul.
Zakāh (زكاة) — translated as obligatory almsgiving or charitable tax — is the third pillar of Islam. It is mentioned alongside Ṣalāh (prayer) more than 80 times in the Qur’an, highlighting how closely the two are linked in Islamic practice.
“And establish prayer and give Zakāh, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves — you will find it with Allāh.”
— al-Baqara, 110
What is Zakāh?
Zakāh is a fixed proportion of a Muslim’s saved wealth that is due to be paid to those in need, once that wealth has reached a certain threshold (Niṣāb) and has been held for a full lunar year (Ḥawl).
It is not charity in the voluntary sense — it is a right of the poor over the wealth of those who have more than they need.
Who must pay Zakāh?
Zakāh is obligatory on every Muslim who:
- Is an adult of sound mind
- Owns wealth above the Niṣāb threshold
- Has held that wealth for a full lunar year
The Niṣāb
The Niṣāb is the minimum amount of wealth at or above which Zakāh becomes due. The traditional benchmarks are:
- Gold: 85 grams (approximately 7.5 tola)
- Silver: 595 grams (approximately 52.5 tola)
- Cash and savings: the equivalent of the silver Niṣāb is most commonly used
The rate is 2.5% of the total eligible wealth.
What wealth is Zakāh due on?
- Cash and bank savings
- Gold and silver (including jewellery, according to some scholars)
- Business goods and stock
- Investments and shares
- Money owed to you (that is expected to be repaid)
Who can receive Zakāh?
The Qur’an specifies eight categories of recipients (maṣārif):
- The poor (fuqarāʾ)
- The destitute (masākīn)
- Zakāh collectors/administrators
- Those whose hearts are to be reconciled
- Freeing of slaves
- Those in debt
- In the cause of Allāh
- The stranded traveller
The wisdom of Zakāh
Zakāh purifies wealth — removing the spiritual harm that can come from hoarding — and purifies the soul of greed and attachment to this world. It redistributes resources within the community and ensures that the basic needs of the least fortunate are met. A society that fulfils its Zakāh obligations would have no one who goes hungry.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Protect your wealth by giving Zakāh, and treat your ill through giving charity, and prepare yourselves for calamity through supplication.” (al-Ṭabarānī)
