Rasûlullâh Sallallâhu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
“When you discharge the Zakah of your wealth, you will indeed have removed its evil from yourself.”
(Hâkim Al-Mustadrak)
Zakäh is a Mäli (financial) Ibadah performed annually. Zakâh is to give one-fortieth (2.5%) of one’s wealth annually to one of the eight classes of people specified in Quran Al-Karim.
The conditions that render Zakâh Fardh (obligatory): An adult, sane, free and debtless Muslim who is in possession of the Nisâb amount of wealth, in excess of their basic needs for a complete lunar year is obliged to pay the Zakâh. This wealth should further be of productive nature. Although gold and silver are not productive, their Zakâh should be given when they reach the amount of Nisäb.
Nisâb: It is a religious standard to determine the liability of paying Zakâh.
Nisâb is to possess 20 mithqâl (80, 1 8grams) of gold or an equivalent amount of money or trade goods in excess of one’s debts and basic needs. The basic needs include a house and its furniture, clothes, tools, books, a vehicle (or a horse) and some provisions. One-fortieth (2.5%) of the taxable amount of money has to be given as Zakâh. Zakâh on livestock: One sheep out of every forty sheep, one sheep out of every five camels, one calf out of every thirty head of cattle. Mines (precious stones) are also subject to Zakâh.
Ushr is the Zakâh on farm produce, which is one-tenth of the crop from the land. If the irrigation of the land is by artificial means, the amount is one-twentieth. Farm crops include wheat, barley, rice, millet, watermelon, cucumber, eggplant, clover, olives, sesame, honey, manna, sugar cane, and fruits. Lands in Turkey are Ushr applicable as they are private and registered. uslim landowners who are engaged in farming should give their Ushr so that their harvest will be Halâl (lawful).
The eligible Zakâh recipients are specified in the 60th Ayah (verse) of Sürah Al-Tawbah. The poor who do not have the Nisâb, the needy who have nothing in life (Al-Masâkîn), the officials in charge of collecting Zakah, those who have inclined towards Islām by receiving Zakâh (Muallafah Al-Qulub), People in bondage, people burdened with debts, people who are in the path of Allâh and travelers stranded without money.
Zakah can be given to any of these eight categories mentioned above.
However, the most deserving people to receive the Zakâh are the needy with nothing in life and those who are striving in the cause of Alläh. (Ilm Al-Hâl, Fazilet Nesriyat)
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