Zakat
contributed by Mohamed A Khalfan (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)
In the contemporary landscape of the Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri (KSI) community, a profound theological and social paradox has emerged. While the pillars of Salaat (prayer), Sawm (fasting), and Hajj (pilgrimage) are observed with meticulous devotion, the pillar of Zakat has been relegated to the realm of historical abstraction. Often mistranslated as voluntary “charity” rather than a mandatory “poor-rate,” Zakat has transitioned from a functional tool of socioeconomic justice to a mere footnote in madressa textbooks. To foster true community development, we must confront the “non-Zakati” identity that has inadvertently formed and realign our practice with the uncompromising mandates of the Qur’an.
The Inseparable Twin Obligations
The Qur’an presents a recurring, rhythmic command: “Aqeemu Swalaat wa Aatu Zakaat” – Establish prayer and pay Zakat. This linkage appears in 27 separate verses, establishing these acts as twin obligations. The spiritual logic is clear: while Salaat governs the relationship between the Creator and the created, Zakat governs the relationship between the created and their fellow humans.
As noted in the traditions of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.), the acceptance of one is inextricably tied to the fulfilment of the other. To perform Salaat while withholding Zakat is to present a fractured faith. For the wealthy to die without having paid Zakat is described in Ahadith in the gravest terms—not merely as a lapse in ritual, but as a state of Kuf’r (unbelief) and a “theft” from the most vulnerable members of the community, including widows and orphans.
The Evolution of Wealth and the Logic of Fiqh
A significant barrier to the payment of Zakat in the modern era is the technical argument regarding its application only to nine specific items (such as cattle, crops, and gold/silver coins). However, this literalism ignores the divine purpose of the law. In the early days of Islam, gold and silver coins were the primary currency; today, paper currency and digital bank balances serve that exact function.
There is a glaring logical inconsistency in a system where wealth held in grain is taxable, but the same value held in a diversified investment portfolio is exempt. If we claim that Zakat is irrelevant because our wealth has changed form, we are essentially claiming that Islam is a time-bound religion rather than a timeless guide. True community development requires a Fiqh that recognises modern currency as the legitimate successor to the gold and silver of antiquity, ensuring that the 2.5% “poor-rate” is directed to those who “wonder if there is life before death.”
From Individual Debt to Social Transformation
The impact of neglecting Zakat is not limited to the spiritual peril of the rich; it manifests in the visible suffering of the poor. When the wealthy withhold the dues of the destitute, they become indirect participants in the sins the poor may commit out of desperation. Furthermore, the practice of Khums and Sadqah, while vital, is not a substitute for Zakat. Sadqah is given out of love and is voluntary; Zakat is an obligation paid out of the fear of Allah to avoid the abuse of Haq el Ibaad (the rights of people).
Reclaiming the institution of Zakat is the only path toward authentic community development. It is not about “dazzling” an audience with rhetoric, but about the simple, stubborn truth that the rights of Allah’s servants are a prelude to His own rights. By institutionalising Zakat, we move away from a culture of sporadic handouts toward a structured system of wealth redistribution that honours the dignity of the receiver and secures the soul of the giver. It is time to wake up to this “call” before the transition from this “one-hour” life to the next becomes a source of eternal regret.
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