Zakat and giving
Islamic Studies · Key Stage 1 · The School
A duty, not a choice
Zakat is one of the five pillars. It is a duty, not a choice. It is for Muslims with enough savings. It is given once a year. Each person picks their own time. Then they keep to it every year.
How much
Zakat is a small share of savings. It is two and a half in every hundred. This rate is fixed. It never changes. It is a small part each year. It is not all given at once.
Who it helps
Zakat helps people who need it most. It helps people who are poor. It helps people who are in debt. It helps travellers who need support. Several other groups are named too.
Zakat and sadaqah
Zakat is a fixed duty. It follows a clear rule. Sadaqah is different. It is extra giving. It can happen any time. It can be any amount. Both are good. Zakat on savings is required every year. Sadaqah is usually a free choice.
One saver, one year
This is an imagined story with small, simple numbers. In our story, the nisab is 100 coins. That is the least a person must have before zakat is due. Hana has saved 200 coins and kept them for a whole Islamic year. She has more than the nisab. 200 is two groups of 100. For each group of 100, she gives 2 and a half coins. 2 and a half plus 2 and a half makes 5. So Hana gives 5 coins to help people who are poor. Her friend has saved only 50 coins. That is less than the nisab, so no zakat is due. In real life, the nisab is not 100 coins. It is the value of a set weight of gold or silver. Scholars differ on which to use. Charities publish the current figure.