Section 4
Zakāh (الزَّكَاةُ) The Obligation of Alms giving

4.1 Introduction: Zakāh in Islam

Zakāh (الزَّكَاةُ) is the third pillar of Islam. It is a mandatory act of worship that purifies a Muslim’s wealth and soul. The term zakāh comes from the Arabic root ز-ك-ا, meaning to purify, increase, and bless.

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةًۭ تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا

“Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase.”

(Qur’ān, At-Tawbah 9:103)

In Mālikī jurisprudence, zakāh is seen not just as a financial duty, but as a social contract between the wealthy and the poor. Neglecting it is considered a serious offense and, historically, led to military action under the Caliph Abū Bakr (Ibn Rushd, Bidāyat al-Mujtahid, vol. 1, p. 239).

4.2 Legal Definition of Zakāh in Mālikī School

According to Mālikī scholars, zakāh is:

إخراج جزء مخصوص من مال مخصوص لمستحقه بشرائط مخصوصة

“Giving a specified portion of certain types of wealth to its rightful recipients under defined conditions.”

(Ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawānī, al-Risālah)

It is both a personal obligation (farḍ ʿayn) and a social obligation (farḍ kifāyah) in its collection and enforcement.

4.3 Qur’anic Evidence for Zakāh

Zakāh is mentioned 82 times in the Qur’ān, often paired with ṣalāh:

وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ

“Establish the prayer and give zakāh.”

(Qur’ān, Al-Baqarah 2:43)

وَمَا أُمِرُوا۟ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ... وَيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ ٱلْقَيِّمَةِ

“They were commanded only to worship Allāh, being sincere, and to establish prayer and give zakāh. That is the true religion.”

(Qur’ān, Al-Bayyinah 98:5)

4.4 Hadith Evidence for Zakāh

بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ... وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ

“Islam is built upon five pillars… including giving zakāh.”

(Bukhārī, 8; Muslim, 16)

ما مِنْ صاحبِ ذهبٍ ولا فِضَّةٍ لا يُؤَدِّي مِنْهَا حَقَّهَا إِلَّا جُعِلَتْ له صُفَاحًا مِنْ نَارٍ...

“Whoever owns gold or silver and does not pay its due will have plates of fire made for him…”

(Muslim, 987)

4.5 Zakāh: Wealth Types and Mālikī Specifics

The Mālikī school divides zakāhable wealth into five main categories:

1. Animals (camels, cattle, sheep/goats)

2. Crops and Fruits (primarily dates and grapes)

3. Monetary Wealth (gold, silver, currency)

4. Business Merchandise

5. Minerals and Treasures

Each category has a minimum threshold (niṣāb) and zakāh rate.

a. Zakāh on Gold and Silver

• Niṣāb for gold: 20 mithqāl = 85 grams

• Niṣāb for silver: 200 dirhams = 595 grams

• Rate: 2.5% annually

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ

“Those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of Allāh, give them glad tidings of a painful punishment.”

(Qur’ān, At-Tawbah 9:34)

b. Zakāh on Livestock

• Camels: Minimum 5

• Cows: Minimum 30

• Sheep/Goats: Minimum 40
  Zakāh amount depends on the quantity and type of animal.

c. Crops and Fruits (ʿUshūr)

• Niṣāb: 5 wasqs (~653 kg)

• Rate:

  • 10% (if watered by rain)

  • 5% (if irrigated manually)

Mālikīs permit zakāh only on storable and measurable crops, excluding perishable vegetables.

4.6 Zakāh on Business Assets (ʿUrūḍ at-Tijārah)

The Mālikī view traditionally does not obligate zakāh on business goods unless they are explicitly intended for trade, valued at year-end, and reach niṣāb.

Modern Mālikīs like Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī argue that business zakāh is obligatory given current economic systems (Al-Qaraḍāwī, 1999).

4.7 Recipients of Zakāh

According to Qur’ān (At-Tawbah 9:60), zakāh has eight legitimate recipients:

إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ...

*“Zakāh is only for:

1. The poor (fuqarā’),

2. The needy (masākīn),

3. Those employed to collect it,

4. Those whose hearts are to be reconciled,

5. Freeing slaves,

6. Debtors,

7. In the cause of Allāh,

8. Travelers in need.”*

(Qur’ān, At-Tawbah 9:60)

Mālikīs emphasize prioritizing local, poor Muslims unless the wider ummah has more pressing needs.

4.8 Enforcing Zakāh: Mālikī Perspective

Imām Mālik supported state intervention in zakāh collection. He famously said:

مَن امتنع من الزكاة قُوتِل

“Whoever refuses zakāh should be fought.”

(al-Mudawwanah, vol. 1)

Like Sayidina Abūbakar (RA), he believed zakāh was not negotiable, and resisting it endangered the unity of Islam.

4.9 Spiritual Benefits of Zakāh

Zakāh purifies wealth, develops gratitude, and bridges economic gaps. It reflects one’s trust in Allāh and love for humanity.

وَفِىٓ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ حَقٌّۭ لِّلسَّآئِلِ وَٱلْمَحْرُومِ

“And in their wealth is a known right for the needy and deprived.”

(Qur’ān, Adh-Dhāriyāt 51:19)

📚 Reference

• Ibn Abī Zayd al-Qayrawānī. (2003). Al-Risālah. Dār al-Minhāj.

• Mālik ibn Anas. (1994). Al-Mudawwanah al-Kubrā. Dār al-Fikr.

• Ibn Rushd. (1999). Bidāyat al-Mujtahid. Dār al-Kutub al-ʿIlmiyyah.

• Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjāj. (2006). Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim. Dār Ṭawq al-Najāh.

• Al-Qaraḍāwī, Y. (1999). Fiqh az-Zakāh. Mu’assasat al-Risālah.

• Bukhārī, M. (2001). Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī. Dār Ibn Kathīr.