The third fundamental pillar of Islam is Zakat. The individual and collective wisdom and benefits obtained by properly delivering Zakat to the rightful recipients are as follows:
1: Completion and perfection of a person’s Islam; because this (Zakat) is among the pillars of Islam, there is no doubt that it is the great objective of every Muslim, so every Muslim strives for the completion of his religion.
2: This Zakat is proof of the sincerity and faith of the giver, because wealth is very dear to hearts, and a beloved and cherished thing is only spent when the acquisition of something equally or more beloved is intended, rather this cherished thing is spent for the acquisition of something more beloved. That is why this (Zakat) is called Sadaqah, because it indicates the true seeking of Allah ﷻ’s pleasure by the one who pays Zakat.
3: This Zakat refines the character of the giver; it removes him from the category of misers and places him among the generous, because when he makes it a habit to spend from his self, whether it is spending knowledge or wealth or sacrificing status, this spending becomes his habit and nature to the extent that on the day he does not spend as usual, he becomes distressed and troubled, like a hunter who hunts every day and if he misses hunting one day, he becomes sorrowful. Similarly, a person who has made himself accustomed to generosity becomes saddened if he cannot spend from his wealth, status, or benefits on any day.
4: Zakat brings peace to the heart; when a person spends something, especially wealth, he finds satisfaction in his heart, and this is an experienced fact. But the condition is that the spending should be with the spirit of generosity and cheerfulness, not that the wealth is spent but not removed from the heart. Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in “Zad al-Ma’ad” that spending and generosity are causes of relief of the chest and peace of heart, but only the person who spends with the spirit of generosity and cheerfulness benefits from it, and he removes the wealth from his heart before giving it from his hand. As for the person who gives wealth from his hand but keeps it in his heart, he cannot benefit from this spending.
5: It unites a person with the perfect believer; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
((لا یؤمن أحدکم حتی یحب لأخیہ ما یحب لنفسہ))
None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
6: It is a means to enter Paradise because Paradise is for the one who spoke well, spread greetings (gave many greetings), ate food, and prayed Tahajjud while others were asleep.
We all strive to enter Paradise.
7: Zakat makes the Islamic society like a family; the wealthy help the weak, and the rich assist the poor. Thus, a person begins to understand and feel that these are his brothers, and it becomes obligatory on him to treat them kindly and do good to them just as Allah ﷻ has done good to him. Allah ﷻ said: ﴿وَاَحْسِنْ کَمَا اَحْسَنَ اللّٰہُ اِلَیْکَ﴾ And do good as Allah has done good to you.
Thus, the Muslim Ummah becomes like a family, and among later scholars, this is known as collective responsibility, and for this, Zakat is best because through it a person fulfills the obligation and benefits his brothers.
8: It extinguishes the heat of rebellion among the poor because when a poor person sees that the wealthy person rides in a luxury vehicle of his choice, lives in his preferred mansion and bungalow, and eats various kinds of desired foods, while he (the poor person) walks on foot and sleeps under the sky on footpaths and is deprived of such facilities, there is no doubt that he harbors some feelings of rebellion in his heart. So when the wealthy spend on the poor, they break the fortress of their rebellion and cool their anger and wrath, and the poor say that we have some brothers who remember us in hardship. Thus, they develop affection and love for the wealthy.
9: It prevents financial crimes such as theft, robbery, kidnapping, and other such crimes because the poor continuously receive something to meet their needs since the wealthy give from their wealth. Therefore, the poor do not create conflicts with them. They give forty parts (2.5%) of gold, silver, and trade goods, a tenth or twentieth part of agricultural produce and garden fruits, and a large proportion of livestock. Thus, they consider that they are doing good to them and not oppressing them.
10: Salvation from the heat of the Day of Judgment.
The Prophet ﷺ said: Every person will be under the shade of his charity on the Day of Judgment.
And on the day when there will be no shade except Allah’s shade, He mentioned the fortunate ones who will be granted a place under His shade:
((رجل تصدق بصدقۃ فأخفاھا حتی لا تعلم شمالہ ما تنفق یمینہ))
One is the person who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent.
11: It helps a person gain knowledge of Allah ﷻ’s limits and His regulations because he will only pay Zakat after learning about its rulings, its wealth and nisab, its rightful recipients, and other necessary matters.
12: It increases wealth both materially and spiritually; when a person gives charity from his wealth, it protects him from calamities, and often Allah ﷻ opens the doors of sustenance for that person and increases his provision. That is why the hadith says:
Charity does not decrease wealth.
It has been observed that sometimes a miser’s wealth is afflicted by something that destroys it, or most of his wealth burns to ashes, or he suffers great loss, or diseases attack him forcing him to seek treatment, causing much of his wealth to be lost.
13: It is a means of descending blessings and prosperity; the hadith says:
((ما منع قوم زکاۃ أموالھم إلا منعوا القطر من السماء))
Those who do not give Zakat on their wealth are deprived of rain.
14: As proven from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
((إن الصدقۃ تطفيء غضب الرب))
Indeed, charity cools the anger of the Lord. (This narration is not authentic)
15: Zakat protects from a bad death.
16: It confronts calamities sent from the heavens and prevents them from reaching the earth.
17: It erases sins; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
((الصدقۃ تطفيء، الخطیئۃ کما یطفيء الماء النار))
Charity extinguishes sins as water extinguishes fire.
