Only Two and a Half Percent
If we truly believe that whatever wealth we have has been granted to us by Allah Ta’alah, then if Allah Ta’alah had ordered us to keep two and a half percent of it, and give 97.% percent of it away in Allah Ta’alah’s way, it would have not been unfair since it all belongs to Allah Ta’alah anyway. However, Allah Ta’alah has shown kindness to His subjects because of our natural attraction towards wealth and told us that as long as we spend 2.5% of it in Allah Ta’alah’s way, the rest of the 97.5 % is Halal and pure for us and will be a source of blessing for us.
Quranic Commandment about Zakat
In the Holy Quran Allah Ta’alah has said multiple times;
وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ
And be steadfast in Salāh (prayer), and pay Zakāh
When Allah Ta’alah has commanded us so many times to pay Zakat, and, on the other hand, Allah Ta’alah has showered
such great blessings upon us that He has granted us all the wealth we have, then made us owner of that wealth, and then told us to give only 2.5% of it with
others, then we should also make an effort to take out 2.5 % of our wealth carefully.
Zakat Should Be Calculated Carefully
In a Hadith, we learn that if Zakat gets mixed with a person’s wealth (meaning that they didn’t calculate their Zakat properly, and therefore
didn’t pay all that was due) then that wealth becomes a source of great harm for them. That is why Zakat should be calculated and given very carefully
Alhamdulillah most Muslims take out Zakat but some are not diligent in calculating it and pay an approximate amount. If they pay more than what was due,
then InshaAllah they will be fine, but if they pay less, then that unpaid Zakat will contaminate their entire wealth
The Worldly Benefits of Zakat
Zakat should be paid primarily because it is one of the commandments of Allah Ta’alah, and is an act of worship (Ibadah), Whether we get any material
benefit because of extracting Zakat or not, is not the point. The primary purpose is to obey Allah Ta’alah, and to try to please Him. However, it is Allah
Ta’alah’s kindness when a person takes out Zakat from their wealth, Allah Ta’alah showers them with material blessings as well. In the Holy Quran Allah
Tatalah says;
يَمْحَقُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّبَوٰا۟ وَيُرْبِى ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتِ
Allah destroys interest and gives increase for charities.