Chapter V: Secrets of Zakat and Charities
(3) The third class are those persons who rest contended by payment of only Zakat. They do not pay more or less. This is the lowest rank and the general people adopt this course as they are naturally miser, attached to riches and their love for the next world is weak. God Says: 'If they beg of you and press for it, you become miser.' There is a wide gulf of difference between those who sacrifice their lives and properties for God and those who are defamed for miserliness.
(2) The second cause is to be pure from miserliness as it is one of the cause of destruction. The Prophet said: There are three destructive guilts-to obey miserliness, to follow low desires and self-conceit. God says: Those who are saved from miserliness have got salvation. In this way, Zakat is the cause of purification of properties.
(3) The third cause is to express gratefulness for the gifts of God as God's gifts on His servants are unbounded. The gratefulness for the gifts of body by doing divine services and the gratefulness for the gifts of wealth by expense of wealth are expressed. How unfortunate is he who sees no means of livelihood of a poor man and till does not give him charity inspite of his begging and who rather expresses gratefulness that God saved him from wants.
168 THE BOOK OF WORSHIP Vol-I
(2) Second subtle point: It is to look to the times and the rules of payment of Zakat. The religious men pay Zakat before it becomes compulsory. They transcend the limit of time. There is chance of falling into sin if Zakat is paid late and not in time.
Willingness to do good deed comes from angels and it should be considered a cause of fortune. The heart of a believer is within the two fingers of the Merciful and there is no delay in its change.
The devil enjoins on doing evil deeds and shows fear of poverty.
Zakat should be paid in the month of Muharram, the first month of Hijra and one of the pure months or it should be paid in the month Ramzan as the Prophet paid most of his charities in this month and there is the excellence of the Blessed night in this month and in the month of pilgrimage. The last ten days of Ramzan month and the first ten days of the month of Zilhaj are days of excellences.