How to Pay Zakat from New York?
Zakat: A Ray of Hope
Islam is a complete code of life. A statement that you might have come across in a paper or a book already, but one that we don’t often appreciate enough. There is something so beautiful about the emphasis on empathy that we observe in Islamic teachings. Take the example of zakat, one of the five fundamental pillars of Islam, and a revolutionary micro financial system. The charity money donated in form of zakat is a ray of hope for millions of Muslims all around the world, an opportunity that provides them with another chance at life. In today’s discussion, we review the glorious tradition that zakat is. But that’s not all. Once we have highlighted the importance of zakat, we will share some tips with you as to how you can pay zakat if you are someone reading these lines from the mesmerizing city of New York!
Zakat: Blessings & Benefits
The textbook definition of zakat tells us that it is 2.5% of annual savings that every Muslim who meets the Nisab threshold. However, rather than the percentages, it is how zakat benefits everyone that needs to be discussed in a pronounced manner. Everyone is a winner when we talk about zakat. How you ask. Recipients of zakat understandably benefit since they are getting the financial support that can help them through a financial crisis. What about donors though? Well, the spiritual rewards are a matter between the donor and the Almighty. However, the concept of wealth cleansing that is associated with zakat should be enough motivation for any Muslim to pay zakat regularly. And lastly, since zakat circulates the wealth in society, the gap between the poor and the rich is abridged considerably. This eliminates financial stagnancy and leads to the eradication of social classes from society.
Muslims of New York
According to a careful estimate, there were more than 750, 000 Muslims living in New York in 2018. If one was to go by these numbers, they would mean that New York is the largest city by Muslim population in the entire United States of America. But does that mean Muslims in New York have an easy time paying their zakat? Hardly that. Finding zakat-deserving candidates in New York is quite a challenge. But worry not if you are facing this problem. In the following sections, we are going to share with you, some tips and tricks that can make zakat payment easier for you.
How Can One Pay Zakat in New York?
Before you start searching for deserving zakat candidates, it is important to recall the essential steps that you need to take to pay zakat. These steps include:
1- Identification of zakat-able and non-zakat-able assets. Remember that an accurate calculation of 2.5 percent of your annual savings is not possible without accurate factoring-in of all the assets.
2- Calculation of Zakat. You can either do this step on a piece of paper, or you can use an online zakat calculator. One such tool that you can use to your advantage is the Transparent Hands, zakat calculator.
3- Determination of the zakat schedule. You can either pay all of your due zakats at once, as most Muslims pay it in the holy month of Ramadan. Otherwise, you can pay zakat in installments that are spanned over the length of the entire Islamic calendar.
Where to Pay Zakat in the USA & New York?
Here are some of the options that you can consider, as far as payment of zakat from USA & New York goes:
1- Searching for a deserving candidate in the slums of New York, and donating your zakat money to him/her.
2- Donate your zakat donation to a relief organization that is working for the welfare of American Muslims.
3- Donate your zakat charity to a trust organization that is working for the welfare of underprivileged Muslims worldwide. One such organization is Transparent Hands.
Transparent Hands
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!
Final Thoughts
Time has made a fool of us, we have reached the concluding remarks of this discussion in no time. We wish we had a bit more time and space on our hands, the topic of zakat is quite a diverse one. There is much finer nitty-gritty annexed with this fundamental pillar of Islam. It is worth mentioning here that the benefits promised for those who pay zakat will be bestowed upon the payer only if this obligation is completed in its truest spirit. Hence, ensuring that you are ticking all the dos and crossing don’ts is extremely important. Well, it is with this word of advice that we bid you farewell from this space. Remember, every penny that you donate in Zakat matters!
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