Zakat: The 8 Categories By: Sheikh Majdi Aqeel (Head of Interpal, Manchester) Brother Iqbal Hussain (Director of National Zakat Foundation) This pillar was designed to be a complete welfare system to help and support eight categories of people who are eligible to receive Zakat. They are: ● Al-Fuqara: The Poor According to the majority of jurists, the poor are those who do not have any assets and have no means by which they can earn their living. However, the Hanafi jurists defined the poor as those who have money lesser than the amount on which Zakat is payable. The poor are worse than the needy in regard to satisfying their basic needs. However, some scholars hold the opposite view. ● Al-Masakin: The Needy According to the majority of jurists, the needy are the people whose earnings do not cover their basic needs. However, the Hanifi jurists identified them as ‘those who have no earnings at all’. The Hanafi and Maaliki jurists consider them to be more deserving of Zakat than the poor. However, the Hanbali and Shafi`i jurists put the poor as being more deserving of Zakat. Actually, this dispute in categorization has no effect, since both the poor and the needy are among the categories entitled to receive Zakat. ● Al-‘Amilina ‘Alayha: Administrators of Zakat This term applies to all those serving in the field of Zakat, including those responsible for collecting, storing, guarding, registering and distributing Zakat. They shoulder all Zakat related activities. ● Al-Mu’allafate-Qulubuhum: Reconciliation of Hearts This term applies to people who have embraced Islam or who are inclined to the Truth of Islam. ● Fir-Riqab: For those in Bondage Zakat may be allocated to help Muslims free themselves of bondage. ● Al-Gharimin: Those in Debt Zakat may be used to pay off debts, so long as these debts were not incurred in an act contrary to Islamic law. ● Fi-Sabilillah: In the Cause of Allah Muslim jurists differ on who or what can be covered under this category, although most seem to agree that it can be used in the defense of Islam. In the wider sense however, this channel covers all methods of promoting the Islamic value system, whether through propagation or intellectual confrontation. ● Ibnas-Sabil: The Wayfarer A wayfarer refers to a traveller who left his home for a lawful purpose and for whatever good reason does not posses enough money to return home, even if he is rich in his own country.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 11:30:40 +0000