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Frequently Asked Question
Question
86: If a Muslim struggles hard in order to achieve his own wealth, why
should he/she give a certain amount of this wealth in the form of zakat? Is not
all the money his/hers? Cannot God give the poor money?
Frequently Asked Question
Question
86: If a Muslim struggles hard in order to achieve his own wealth, why
should he/she give a certain amount of this wealth in the form of zakat? Is not
all the money his/hers? Cannot God give the poor money?
Answer
86: Islam has its own comprehensive educational system which takes care of
both the individual and the society at the same time. It maintains balance in
rights and duties, chastens and purifies the soul from greed and miserliness,
and makes man feel that he/she is an integral part of the society. Islam
preaches that there is no complete happiness unless all are happy; a well known
Muslim poet says: “No clouds should ever rain on me or on my land/ Unless it
rains all over the place.” Islam has established a society based on
cooperation, solidarity, reciprocal connection, mercy, love, benevolence and
altruism. A true Muslim’s conscience suffers and gets tormented if people
around him are under distress or hardship. A Muslim, who has been endowed, by
God, with health and strength to collect money, is supposed to give thanks to
his Lord for His gifts. The best way for a Muslim to give thanks is to help
brethrens in Islam who need help, to give the deprived and poor from what God
has given him. Love and intimacy as such would be established and maintained
between the poor and the rich. In this way, society would feel better; and the
spirit of cooperation and harmony would prevail among the members of the same
community. Besides, the one who is poor and frugal might become rich one day,
and vice versa; he who gives today might be in need in the future. Every right
has one duty against it, and vice versa.
If we look
at the modern advanced societies, we find them imposing different systems of
social security, collecting taxes, and trying all the time to protect these
systems by the force of law. Islam legislated the system of zakat, which
is fundamentally is a test, in order to achieve solidarity for the sake of
brotherhood, love, and goodwill. However, the rebellion of some people against
this system obliges the Islamic state to take zakat from them by force so
that the right of the society continues to be maintained before the right of
individuals, so that happiness can prevail. Almighty God relates: “Help you one
another in al-Birr and al-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety);
but do not help one another in sin and transgression” (Holy Qur’an: 5: 2) and
prophet Muhammad related: “He is not a believer in me that who sleeps full at
home while his neighbor beside him is hungry and he knows about him.”
It is in
this way that Islam brought people up so that society could be a civilized one.
History has not witnessed a similar example. Islam still has the aptitude to
form such society based on these values and high ideals if it has the
enlightened and conscious leadership and if people are enjoying an atmosphere of
freedom and dignity.
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