Muslim aid, also known as zakat or sadaqah, is an important concept in Islam and is considered a religious obligation for Muslims. The Islamic jurisprudence provides guidance on the types of aid that are required, the conditions for giving, and the recipients of aid. In addition to zakat and sadaqah, there are other forms of Muslim aid that are encouraged in Islam. For example, Muslims are encouraged to give in the way of Allah (fi sabil Allah), which can include supporting mosques, Islamic schools, and other religious institutions. Muslims are also encouraged to give to those in need during times of crisis, such as natural disasters or other emergencies.
The Quran mentions zakat explicitly in several verses, such as in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 177, where it says: “It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or the West, but truly righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and gives his wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free.”
Similarly, in Surah Al-Tawbah, verse 60, Allah instructs Muslims to give zakat to eight categories of people: “Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer (the funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.”
Islamic jurisprudence further expands on the concept of Muslim aid by distinguishing between zakat, which is a specific type of aid that is obligatory for all Muslims, and sadaqah, which is a voluntary form of charity that can be given in addition to zakat.
Zakat is usually calculated as 2.5% of a Muslim’s wealth and is distributed to specific categories of recipients, as mentioned in the Quranic verses cited above. These recipients include the poor, the needy, those employed to administer the funds, those whose hearts have been recently reconciled to the truth, those in bondage and in debt, those in the cause of Allah, and the wayfarer.
Sadaqah, on the other hand, is a voluntary act of charity that can be given to any worthy cause or recipient. The Quran encourages Muslims to give sadaqah and mentions its benefits in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 261: “The parable of those who spend their wealth in Allah’s way is that of a grain of corn: it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases; Allah cares for all and knows all things.”
Muslim aid, including zakat and sadaqah, is an important concept in Islam and is considered a religious obligation for Muslims. The Quran provides guidance on the types of aid that are required, the conditions for giving, and the recipients of aid, and Islamic jurisprudence further expands on these concepts.
