Zakat
An obligation with tremendous benefits
Scroll Page
Zakat: The Third Pillar
And establish prayer and give zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.” (2:110)
Zakat is an obligatory charity that Muslims must fulfill, a compulsory act of worship stipulated by Allah (swt). Its intention: to purify wealth and help the unfortunate.
Every person who is sane, an adult (reached puberty), Muslim, and owns wealth above the nisab must pay 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat.
Your Zakat has far-reaching effects, with the potential to alleviate the suffering of millions of men, women and children.
Giving your Zakat through Muslim Hands allows you to fulfill your duty as a Muslim but make a difference in the lives of people who are living in poor desolate communities without access to water, food, and shelter.
We sincerely thank you for trusting us with your Zakat and hope your contributions can make a lasting impact on lives.
Give Your Zakat
How Your Zakat Changed a Widow's Life
At the age of just 28, Ramafou became a widow with 8 children to take care of; 4 girls and 4 boys. Before Muslim Hands gave her goats as part of our livelihoods projects, she had no stable source of income for 4 years, since the death of her husband.
For widows like Ramafou living in Mali, life can be especially hard. With no income or livelihood, supporting a family alone is nearly impossible.
After her husband's passing, Ramafou worried she could not even feed her children cassava porridge; the cheapest imaginable meal one can have in Niger.
Since receiving 3 goats, Ramafou feels like her life has turned around. The goats produce enough milk not only for her to give to her children but also to sell so that she can buy food and other necessities.
Ramafou expressed to us her gratitude to the donors who have impacted her life so greatly; a few years ago Muslim Hands installed a well in her village, providing everyone with clean drinking water - she cannot believe that she was able to receive even more support with the gift of the 3 goats now.
Your Zakat has the power to give women like Ramafou hope for a brighter future.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Every person who is sane, an adult (reached puberty), Muslim, and sahib-un-nisab must pay Zakat as a duty.
To be a sahib-un-nisab means you possess more wealth than the level of nisab for a period of one lunar year or more.
A. The nisab is the minimum value of wealth one must possess in order to pay Zakat. It is defined as the value of 87.5g of pure gold or 625g silver. Most scholars favour the lower value as it means that more people can pay Zakat and therefore there are more beneficiaries.
A. Gold and silver, including ornaments or
jewellery containing gold and/or silver
Cash held at home or in bank accounts
Stocks and shares owned directly or through
investment funds
Money lent to others
Business stock in trade and merchandise
Agricultural produce
Livestock animals such as cows, buffaloes,
goats, sheep, and camels
Produce of mines
Pensions
Property owned for investment purposes
A. You can pay your Zakat at any time, but many people chose to do so during the month of Ramadan when the reward for our good deeds is multiplied and it is easier to calculate the lunar year.
A. Yes you can. Simply calculate your Zakat payments, divide this by 12 and set up a regular gift, specifying Zakat as the type of donation.
A. For more information on our donation policy please see our ‘How Your Money is Spent’ page.
Muslim Hands is an international aid agency and NGO working in over 50 countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty. Muslim Hands USA is a registered charity with the Internal Revenue Service (Charity Registration No. 27-4155655).