Zakat, Sadaqah And Charity In Islam

In the Qur'an often we find verses that command us to perform prayers and alms. One verse in the Qur'an which ordered to perform prayers and alms are the surah Al-Baqarah verse 43:

"And perform As-Salat, and give Zakāt, and bow down (or submit yourself with obedience to Allah) along wit Ar-Raaki'uun".

Many hadith we find the command to do charity. Among the hadith that explains about Zakat is the hadith of the Five Pillars of Islam. Narrated Ibn 'Umar (radi Allahu anhu): Allah's Messenger (Salallahu Alayhi WaSallam) said : Islam is based on the following five principles :

1. Saying the Shahada (Confession of a Muslim)
2. Prayers (As-Salat)
3. Paying Zakat
4. Perform Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
5. Fasting in the month of Ramadan

To whom alms should be given in Al Qur'a n, Sura At-Tawbah verse 60:

"As-Sadaqat (here it means Zakat) are only for the Fuqara' (poor), and Al-Masaakin (the poor) and those employed to collect (the fund), and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam), and to free the captives, and for those in debt, and for Allah's Cause (i.e. for Mujahiduun-those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything), a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.

Definition of Zakat, Zakat-ul-Fitr, Sadaqah, according to the glossary in The Noble Qur'an printed by the King Fahd Complex :

Zakat : "A certain fixed proportion of the wealth and of every kind of the property liable to Zakat of a muslim to be paid yearly for the benefit of the poor in the muslim community. The payment of Zakat is obligatory as it is one of the five pilars of Islam. Zakat is the mayor economic means for establishing social justice and leading the muslim society to prosperity and security".

Zakat-ul-Fitr :"An obligatory Sadaqa to be given by muslims before the prayer of 'Id-al-Fitr."

Sadaqah :"Anything given in charity."

It is very interesting is that in the Qur'an, the ways the use of property and its laws are explained very clearly in Surah Al Baqarah from verse 261 to verse 274. In the verse 261 explains, "treasure spent in the way of Allah will be doubled to 700 times".