Aslam

ZAKAT

God placed Zakat next to prayer and it is the second pillar of Islam out of five pillars. God says: Keep up prayer and pay Zakat.
The Prophet said: Islam is founded on five pillars - (1) There is no deity but God and Muhammad is His servant and messenger, and to bear witness to this formula, (2) to keep up prayers, (3) to pay Zakat, (4) to fast and (5) to make pilgrimage. The punishment of those who do not pay Zakat has been mentioned in this verse:
'Give good news of grievous punishment to those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend in the way of God.' To spend means here to pay the compulsory duty of Zakat. Ahnaf-b-Qais said: We were with a party of the Quraish. Hazrat Abu Zarr, while passing by that way said: Give good news to those who hoard up wealth that such firm impressions will be put on their backs which will come out after piercing their sides, that such firm impressions will be put on their forehead that it will come out of their forehead.

Abu Zarr said: I came to the Prophet who was then seated in the shade of the Ka'ba. He said to me: By the Lord of the Ka'ba, they are undone. I asked: Who are they? He said: Those who increase their wealth and not those who spend in this way, in their fronts, in their backs, in their right sides, in their left sides, but their numbers are few. Those who have got camels, cattle, sheeps and goats and who do not pay their Zakat will meet with these animals in huge forms on the Resurrection Day. They will attack them with their horns and will tread upon them by their hoofs. If one party go away, another party will come. This will continue till the people are brought for judgment. This punishment has been described by Sahihs Bakhari and Muslim.
So the details of Zakat should be learnt.

SECTION 1

DIFFERENT KINDS OF ZAKAT

There are six subject matters of Zakat - (1) Zakat of animals, (2) Zakat of crops, (3) Zakat of gold and silver, (4) Zakat of the commodities of Business. (5) Zakat of mines and (6) Zakat of Idul Fitr.

164 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-I

(1) ZAKAT OF ANIMALS: It is compulsory on a free Muslim whether major or minor, sane or insane. There are five conditions

- of Zakat which is obligatory in case of animals, (a) They are to be grazed in the grazing fields, (b) They should not be domestic animals, (c) They must be in possession of full one year, (d) One must have full ownership on them, (e) One must be the owner of Nisab or fixed number of these animals.