بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Translation of Dr. Shams Jilani “Roshni Hira Say”
Section: 123
The compulsory obligation of Zakat & Fasting
In previous section, we ended our article regarding the final
instructions & revelation regarding the fasting. Now we will
discuss regarding the revelation towards Zakat. Ibn Jareer
(RA) said, that during the second year of the Hijra in the
month of Ramadan, the Zakat became compulsory & in the
same year, the prayers of Eid Ul Fitr became Wajib.
Among the earliest companions who gave Zakat was Hazrat
Ali bin Abu Talib (RA) & Hazrat Abdullah bin Zuber (RA).
Before this no one ever has given Zakat. This was a help for
the poor people & good news for the rich people. Whatever
they earn, there is no limit but what has been saved after all
the expenses, they will deposit 1/40 th from it in the common
house of the money (Bayt Al Mal). From the crops, one fifth
& from rainwater fed lands, one tenth & the rest distribution
from the rearing animals will be distributed in Bayt Al Mal.
But the companions went so far due to their pious behavior
that they even didn’t wait for the day to submit their
contributions in the Bayt Al Mal. They belonged to the creed
that firmly believes that life is akin a bubble. Even the single
second of the life can’t be relied upon. The companions were
people, who received the good news from their Almighty
Allah, that I am agreed with them. In the level of belief they
were at much higher levels in comparison to us. They
believed in Almighty Allah with all his attributes. Among all
these blessed group, Hazrat Ali (RA) & Hazrat Abdullah Ibn
Zubair (RA) got the preference in this matter. Even Hazrat
Ali (RA) was not rich & he never preferred to collect the
wealth. Whether it’s a matter of charity or it’s an instruction
of Zakat, the first initiative was taken by Hazrat Ali (RA).
This is the same income that was sustenance for the
orphans, widows and marginalized people of the community.
It’s the same imitation of the concept of Zakat in the modern
world. The concepts of equality brought by communism are
also the similar imitation of early Islamic model. Whereas,
the capitalism is another name of exploiting the needy
people. When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained the
virtues of Zakat, the people who didn’t had any assets got
wretched. On this moment Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave
another prescription that even if you look towards the fellow
Muslim with smile, it will be counted as a charity. Does any
religion articulate on these things?
In the contemporary world, the stakeholders of Capitalism
are in the state of fear. If they tried to turn their system
towards welfare state that seems to be mandatory for
running the system of capitalism, the people will mend
towards the Islamic teachings. In the next section, we will
discuss about the historic war of Badr that took place before
the revelation of Zakat. But we tried to cover the section of
Zakat before discussing this battle.
Cont’d for the next week
