Hadith Explaining the Importance of Zakat in Islam
“Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam” (Sahih Bukhari)
There are five fundamental pillars of Islam and Zakat is one of them. Zakat being a pillar shows its importance in Islam. Zakat is the essential amount that Muslims have to give in the form of charity as an obligation to Allah (SWT) and there are hadiths of zakat in Islam that explains the value of this practice.
In Quran, Zakat is mentioned alongside Salat (prayer). There is a hikmah behind every duty that is assigned to us by Allah (SWT). Zakat not only cleanses one`s wealth but also purifies one`s soul. There are many Hadiths in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has mentioned the importance of Zakat. Besides being an act of devotion to Allah, Zakat is the most effective economic step in ensuring the welfare of the poor and needy in society. It ensures the circulation of money from the rich to the poor which ultimately helps in the economic development of society.
A Profitable Investment
“One who pays Zakat, Allah will make their wealth increase” (Sahih Bukhari)
Zakat is not just some money that Muslims give to those in need it becomes a worthy investment. There are many hadiths on Zakat in Islam, Allah SWT has mentioned in Quran that for those who give money to the poor, Allah will multiply this deed ( in His account) many times so much so that it will become an act that will save the person in Akhirah. Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said,
“If one gives in charity what equals (the size of) one date-fruit from the honestly-earned money and Allah accepts only the honestly earned money –Allah takes it in His right (hand) and then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse, so much so that it becomes as big as a mountain.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Vol 2, Book 24, No. 491)
Now imagine in the context of the above hadith that how much profitable it would be to give Zakat as an investment as we know that we are going to get the return on it by on the day of judgment and the return will be so much so that we will be happy when we will see it in akhirah.
Closeness to Allah (SWT) through hadiths on Zakat in Islam
As narrated by Ibn Masud: I heard Prophet saying,
“There is no envy except in two: a person whom Allah has given wealth and he spends it in the right way, and a person whom Allah has given wisdom (i.e. religious knowledge) and he gives his decisions accordingly and teaches it to the others.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol 2, Book 24, No. 490)
Giving zakat is one of the things that Allah loves. When someone gives zakat, it brings him closer to Allah spiritually. This hadith motivates Muslims to give as much as they can to seek Allah`s love and proximity. Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said:
“When you pay the Zakat you have fulfilled what is required of you.” (Al-Tirmidhi, Chapter 7, No. 618)
Purification of Wealth and Soul
“Zakat purifies one’s wealth” (Sahih Bukhari)
Zakat is the purifier that instructs Muslims to give and spend selflessly. It frees their souls from the love of wealth and slavery to material gains and acquisitions. When it is paid out of obedience to the will of Allah, Zakat becomes a means of purifying the soul of a Muslim from greed and miserliness. It is central to a Muslim’s life. Prophet (PBUH) mentioned,
“Allah says, ‘Spend, O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you. The right hand of Allah is full and overflowing and in nothing would diminish it, by overspending day and night” (Sahih Muslim, Book 5, 2178)
It simply means that our wealth is never going to decrease if we spend it on the poor. On the contrary, Allah will increase it many times. In another hadith, Prophet (PBUH) said:
“The best charity is to satisfy a hungry person. He also said, “No wealth (of a servant of Allah) is decreased because of charity.” (Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2247)
We purify our wealth by giving zakat for the will of Allah as we acknowledge that everything we own belongs to Him, and it is for Him that we strive to end poverty and help our brothers and sisters. Thus it consequently purifies our souls as it removes the love of this world from our hearts.
Removal of Sins
Zakat is a spiritual connection to Allah. Zakat keeps one away from sins and protects the giver from moral illness. It will also protect Muslims on the Day of Judgment from hellfire. The Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Giving charity wipes away sins just as water extinguishes fire.”
Through Zakat, the poor are cared for; these include widows, orphans, the disabled, the needy, and the destitute. Narrated by Abu Huraira (R.A): The Prophet (PBUH) said,
“Every day two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate every person who spends in Your Cause,’ and the other (angel) says, ‘O Allah! Destroy every miser.” (Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 24, 522)
From the above hadith, it is mentioned that if one gives zakat, angels pray for his blessings, and for the one who does not like to spend in the way of Allah, angels pray for his destruction. Now we know how important it is to give zakat as we are the ones who will be ultimately getting all the blessings. Who wouldn’t want to get the blessings of Allah (SWT) by simply donating money in the form of zakat? Among the many options that you can consider for paying zakat, one option is Transparent Hands.
Transparent Hands – Hadiths of Zakat in Islam
If a busy lifestyle doesn’t allow you to search for eligible zakat candidates, you can donate your zakat to a trust organization that you can trust. If you are interested in funding someone’s healthcare expenses, one organization that you might like to know more about is Transparent Hands, Pakistan’s biggest crowdfunding platform. It offers a complete range of free healthcare services including medical and surgical treatments, medical camps, and telehealth facilities to the underprivileged community of Pakistan. The platform provides visibility to underprivileged patients and builds a personal and trusted bond between patients and donors while ensuring complete transparency. It also sets up free medical camps in the rural areas of Pakistan in which, free medical consultation, free medicines, and free diagnostic tests are provided to deserving patients.
How does Transparent Hands manage your zakat? Donors from all over the world can use the Transparent Hands crowdfunding web portal and donate through 100% secure payment modes. They could select any patient, fund the treatment and receive regular feedback and updates until the patient has recovered completely. So, if you donate your donation to this trustworthy platform, you will be helping someone cover their medical expenses. Think about it, so many people who lost their jobs during the pandemic can’t afford their health expenses right now. Transparent Hands manages your donations to help these distressed souls!
Some Other Popular Hadiths are as follows:
- “The wealth of a person does not decrease by paying Zakat” (Sahih Bukhari)
- “One who pays Zakat, Allah will make their wealth increase” (Sahih Bukhari)
- “The best charity is to pay Zakat on one’s wealth” (Sahih Muslim)
- “Zakat is a right that the poor have upon the rich” (Sahih Bukhari)
- “Giving Zakat is more beloved to Allah than giving in charity during the entire year” (Sahih Bukhari)
- “Zakat is a form of worship, and the one who fulfills it will be rewarded” (Sahih Muslim)
- “Zakat is the right of the poor on the wealth of the rich” (Sahih Bukhari)
- “The one who pays Zakat, it is as if they have freed a slave” (Sahih Bukhari)
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