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Zakat

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Created: 2006-11-30 12:52:31

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Zakat Turkish: Zek?t; also transliterated zakaat or zakah; "to grow" (in goodness), "increase," "purifying," "making pure".
Overview
It is the third of the Five Pillars of Islam and refers to spending a fixed portion of ones wealth for the poor or needy, including people whose hearts need to be reconciled, slaves, those in "debt," those in the way of God, and the travelers in the society.
The basis of zakat is given in the Quran: "Of their goods take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf, verily thy prayers are a source of security for them." (9:103)
A Muslim may also donate an additional amount as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward.
There are two main types of zak?t:

Zak?t on traffic

(zak?t-ul-fitr) is a per head payment equivalent to cost of around 2.25 kilograms of the main food of the region (this may be wheat, dates or rice, depending on the place) paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for him/herself and his/her dependents to the zak?t collector (amil).(Right now in the U.S. the zakat on traffic is $7.50)

Zak?t on wealth (zak?t-ul-mal) comprises all other types of zak?t, such as on business, on savings, on income, on crops, on livestock, on gold, on minerals, on hidden treasures unearthed, etc.

The payment of zak?t is obligatory on all Muslims. In current usage it is interpreted as a 2.5 levy on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, if the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (3 ounces or 87.48g of gold). At present (as of 5 October 2006), nisab is approximately US $1,725 or an equivalent amount in any other currency
Zak?t is distributed among 8 categories of people:

Faqir- One who has neither material possessions nor means of livelihood.

Miskin - One with insufficient means of livelihood to meet basic needs.

Amil - Workers associated with the collection and distribution of Zakat.

Muallafathul Quloob - One who converts to Islam. Literally those whose hearts are softened.

Riqab - One who wants to free himself from bondage or the shackles of slavery.

Gharmin - One who is in debt (money borrowed to meet basic, halal expenditure).

Fisabillillah - Literal meaning In the way of God, but it is used for Jihad.

Ibnus Sabil - One who is stranded in journey.

Restrictions
There have been cases where you dont/cant pay zakat for/to.

Traditional zakat laws generally does not cover trade

It is not permissible to pay zakat to some members of the family (i.e. grandparents, parents, spouses, children)

If a Muslim doesnt have enough money to pay zakat

It should be noted that zakat should be paid so in the following year, the zakat money should not been given to that same person.
Shiite Point of View
According to the laws and teachings of Shiite muslims, that are also based on Quran and the reported speeches of prophet Muhammad and his Household, There are two concepts in this field: Khoms (the fifth), and Zakat. It is worth to note that both of them according to the shiite point of view, are not obligatory but they are a must for every muslim, meaning that every muslim must watch out for his money and he has the full responsibility of purifying his own money, but the governor should have no force upon any individual to give up Zakat or Khoms. Khoms, means the fifth, and it is taken from war loots, metals, treasures, divings (pearls and so), and the money that is a mix between halal (pure) and haram (taboo). In modern days, the most common type of khoms that is extracted is of the last type mentioned before. Khoms for money is done by taking the fifth of the increment or the increase in the income stored after one lunar year, and this is done after paying debts or bills if there is any.
Example for Khoms extraction: A man has $5000 in his bank account, and after the pass of one lunar year and in the same day that the man assigned for himself to extract khoms, he has $5600 in his bank account (and already paid bills and debts), thus he has to take the fifth of the $600 increment, that is $120. What remains after the fifth (that is 5600-120=$5480) is recorded and if after one lunar year the man has an amount of money that is greater than $5480 then he takes the difference and take the fifth as before from the increment. If the man after one lunar year had less than that, then there is no Khoms to be paid. The Khoms is paid specifically for any Hashimite person, meaning a person that has his roots extend to the tribe of Bani Hashim (the tribe of prophet Muhammad) or a descendant of prophet Muhammad in general.
Zakat on the other hand, according to the Shiite teachings is different and it is assigned to specific goods. There are 9 types of goods that Zakat must be paid out of it: gold, silver, camels, cows, sheeps, wheat, barley, dates, and raisin, with every type having its own nisab or a limit by which Zakat is started to be given. Zakat is paid to the people mentioned before in the main text, but never to a Hashimite. Charity money or Sadaqah is never to be paid to a Hashimite since it is a taboo for a Hashimite to take such money, if it not Khoms or a gift. Notice that in both concepts, they are both obligatory on the individual but should not be forced by the governor.In modern days, Shiite muslims are concerned with Khoms more than Zakat mainly because not much of them are farmers and own these goods by which Zakat is to be given out from. On the other hand, Khoms is given by many people starting from the middle class and above that, and especially by employees

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