Muslim adults over 18 who meet the Nisab threshold must donate to a charity called Zakat. It’s the third of the five pillars of Islam and was initially referred to as the mandatory donation to charity expected of every eligible Muslim. It differs from the voluntary act of generosity known as Sadaqah. A Zakat is an alms given in Allah’s name to those who qualify. Learn how often you must donate Zakat here.

Knowing When to Donate Zakat

When Should Zakat Be Paid?

Zakat is collected once a year. On the other hand, a Muslim only pays Zakat after possessing the Nisab for one entire lunar year. It indicates that each Muslim expects to pay Zakat at various times of the year, depending on when they first met and sustained the Nisab. That’s generally the approach to how one must donate Zakat.

Three Reminders of When You Must Pay Zakat

Check Your Wealth Weekly or Monthly

Zakat’s due dates can be confusing. Take stock of what you own from the date you reach or surpass the Nisab or the anniversary of your most recent Zakat payment. Assets constantly add and subtract, which can be drastic for some. Taking stock of your private wealth and assets prevents last-minute time and stress.

Create a Zakat Spending Plan

Keeping track of your income regularly and doing the math can help you feel more at ease about the amount of Zakat you’ll owe when the time comes, much like a budget helps you plan for the things you want to do or buy.

Make Use of a Zakat Calculator

Every Muslim who owns the Nisab for an entire lunar year must pay Zakat equal to 2.5 percent of its value.

The Nisab and the Zakat percentage must be calculated manually, which can be time-consuming when factoring in your wealth and holdings. Use the trustworthy, zero-cost, and user-friendly Zakat calculator Islamic Relief offers, facilitating immediate Zakat payment.

It’s not uncommon for Muslims to forget or miscalculate their annual obligation to pay Zakat, and some Muslims may be unfamiliar with this Islamic obligation. Moreover, there will be years in which you cannot pay your Zakat on time.

Thankfully, it’s always possible to catch up by making payments for each year in which you were delinquent. You can get the right amount by calculating the current Zakat and Nisab. From there, the Nisab value from the year and when no paid Zakat is substituted for the current Nisab value.

Giving Zakat is considered significant in Islam that it is mentioned in the Qur’an 82 times, each time close to a prayer. If you don’t help the poor and unfortunate, you can’t expect Allah to bless you. Giving has never made anyone poor. So open your folded palms and do what Allah has told you to do. Give Zakat to clean up your soul and help make the world better. Let’s live our lives in a good way and give those who are less fortunate a chance to live with respect.

The Al-Ansaar Islamic Foundation was started by a group of highly dedicated and passionate Muslims with a focus on knowledge and scholarship. Our ambition centres around the idea of contributing to communities by creating leaders, educators, and conscious individuals. We are ultimately concerned with building strong communities that impact the lives of others and motivate, inspire, and contribute to the good of humanity. Contact us toll-free at 1 (855) 633-6222.

Generosity can take many forms, one of which is charity to those less fortunate than ourselves by providing aid for Muslims and others – this kindness is recommended in Islam.

However, what is the best form of charitable donation?

The answer to this question depends on whether you are trying to obtain a reward from Allah or not.

Moreover, it depends on what type of person you are, as the ideal charitable act varies from person to person and vice versa.

The following are forms of charitable donations made in the Qur’an and Sunnah and some unrecommended ones.

The Best Charitable Donation for Others & Aid for Muslims

Sadaqah Jariyah

Sadaqah Jariyah is the most preferred form of charity. It is defined as giving to a poor person individually. Typically once or a few times, without asking for anything in return. It’s the type of charity performed by Muslims worldwide as an aid for Muslims and non-Muslims.

Sadaqah Jariyah for Deceased

Sadaqah Jariyah for the deceased is the second-best form of charitable donation after Sadaqah Jariyah for living recipients. It consists of giving to one or more persons in the Muslim nation that the deceased used to assist with charity (i.e., poor, beggars, orphans).

Sponsoring a Child, Teacher, or Orphan

The third best form of charitable donation is to sponsor a child, teacher or orphan who would otherwise not have the means to pay for their school fees or basic needs. Sunnah encourages sponsorship of 10% of one’s income for Muslims and 2.5% for non-Muslims if it does not cause harm.

Spreading Knowledge

Most forms of charitable donations encourage sharing knowledge that can benefit Muslims, for example, by donating books to libraries. However, Sunnah supports one’s students in both Islamic and secular education.

Charity for Others to Pay Their Zakah

It is recommended in Islam that we donate our Zakah (obligatory charitable donation) to others so they can pay their Zakah. For example, if you donate $100 to your local mosque or Islamic Center and $100 to your local orphanage, you will have paid your Zakah by the time you pay the second annual Zakah. Naturally, it is better not to give Zakah to others so that there is a constant stream of Zakah (in the form of money regularly) for the community. We also recommend using this opportunity by giving less than our established quota for charity.

Building a Mosque, School, or Hospital

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When a Muslim plants a tree or sows a field, or tends a flock of sheep, he is doing an act of charity.”

Scholars have listed building a mosque as one of Islam’s greatest forms of charitable donation. Also included in this category are schools because they work to both train and educate the next generation of Muslims. Scholars also point out that hospitals are included in this category since they, too, serve the sick and wounded.

It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all way of giving. The key is to give as you can when you can. If you cannot give your Zakah (obligatory charitable donation) annually, it is still important to contribute what you can. Your good deed will be recorded, and Allah Almighty will reward you accordingly.

Zakat is a unique kind of charitable payment obligatory to every Muslim adult.

However, people who donate Zakat should meet the criteria based on their nisab and hawl. They can contribute a certain amount of wealth, about 25% of their savings. These donations help people who are in great need.

So, when you donate Zakat, it purifies your wealth alongside your soul, body, and possessions – which brings you closer to Allah. See how you can donate Zakat here.

Understanding How to Donate Zakat

What is Zakat?

Almsgiving, or Zakat, is one of the five pillars of Islam. Precisely, it is a form of confirmation and declaration of a Muslim’s faith in Allah. In addition, Zakat has a special mention in the Quran about 32 times. That speaks about the importance and significance of Zakat.

Different from other types of donations, eligible Muslims should pay Zakat as instructed by Allah. So, before you donate Zakat, you should know whether or not you are eligible to make the donations.

Therefore, an individual should meet these conditions:

They should practice the Muslim religion
An individual must be sound of mind
They must be free
They should be an adult
An individual should have a proper flow of wealth in the form of either cash or goods
They should meet the nisab criteria while staying there for a complete lunar year

Different types of people make other payments depending on their wealth. And how much you owe relies on your gold or silver value. For example, if you choose your donation based on the value of gold, you would pay a high amount.

What Are the Different Ways to Donate Zakat?

There are several organizations and welfare trusts that take your Zakat payment. Along with that, there are lots of ways that help you give them money.

Here are some common ways that many people opt for regarding donations:

Making the payment through an online transfer
Bank transfer is another popular choice
You can avail of donation collection centers
You can even call the concerned authority to collect your Zakat donation from your doorstep

Where Does Your Zakat Money Go?

The primary reason for collecting Zakat is to support those who need it most. In short, money should make their lives better. In Islam, you are entrusted with the duty to care for your brothers and sisters through Zakat.

That way, you can help them receive their daily necessities. Zakat money goes to benefit people who are less fortunate compared the others.

Allah outlined eight permissible causes for Zakat, which are as follows:

The needy
Poverty-stricken people
The debt-ridden
Those in bondage
People whose hearts need reconciliation
The wayfarer
Zakat charities
Those who fight for Allah

Zakat establishes proper support for the poor and needy. In doing so, it has the power to change the world. And, all these things can happen with you paying for this noble cause. That’s why it’s important to know how to donate Zakat properly.

Besides prayer, charity is one of the most foundational teachings to which all Muslims must dedicate themselves.

There is a reason why it’s the third pillar of Islam. A simple charitable act is not only felt and impacted by one person’s life for the better. Charitable acts remind us we are bound by others, which inspires and ripples toward birthing a better future for everyone on a collective level.

No wonder it’s the noblest way of spending wealth and bringing delight to Allah.

See how you can find Islamic charities to donate to, so you can spread generosity on a bigger scale for the betterment of others.

How to Donate Wisely to Islamic Charities

Donating with Right Intentions

In Islamic teachings, charitable actions and donations are meant to be rooted in the right intentions. After all, Allah rewards those who spend their abundance with a pure heart. Therefore, donating must be done with genuine selflessness without prideful recognition. It’s important not to expect thanks nor request the gratitude of the individual to whom you give for a good cause. Furthermore, according to Islam, it’s preferable to donate discreetly than openly. If you’re flaunting or making yourself seem generous, you’re donating with selfish intentions. All these wrong intentions for donating are a false sense of reward. Anyone with good intentions knows the reward of donating for Allah’s delight depends on the almighty – the ultimate reward comparatively.

Research Charities Validity

Another important factor to consider when donating to an Islamic charity is to ensure its validity. Nowadays, you can donate to numerous Islamic charities – local, national, or even global organizations. Yet, practicing discernment is imperative when donating to an Islamic charity. Unfortunately, some people create fake charities. As a result, your donation doesn’t end up going to those in need or properly supporting a cause. That’s why you need to research charities before you donate to them by donating more wisely. A good way to check if a charity is legitimate is by checking Canada’s list of charities database. You can see what ones are properly registered as well as other relevant information to help give you insight.

Understand the Charity’s Background

Part of donating with the right intentions is finding a charity’s cause that speaks to you. Once you do, you can look into how donations are allocated. Knowing how much will be given is imperative since even registered charities might not provide an acceptable percentage of donations. Do your research by checking what previous donors have to say about a charity – they will be honest about if the charity functions properly or not. Furthermore, when looking for Islamic charities, you want to ensure that you donate properly. After all, there are several ways to give charity in Islam (e.g. giving Sadaqah or paying your Zakat or paying a Fidya/Kifarah). Check to see if the Islamic charity you’re interested in has programs where it relates to the type of donation you wish to give.