Zakat - Purification of Wealth
The obligatory charity that purifies wealth and supports those in need, establishing economic justice.
Zakat (الزكاة) is the third pillar of Islam, requiring Muslims to give 2.5% of their accumulated wealth annually to those in need. The word 'zakat' means both 'purification' and 'growth,' signifying that giving purifies the remaining wealth and causes it to grow spiritually. Zakat recipients include the poor, the destitute, those in debt, and travelers in need. This system creates a safety net within the Muslim community while preventing the excessive concentration of wealth. The Quran enumerates the eight eligible categories of zakat recipients in Surah at-Tawbah 9:60.
Take from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase.
Al-Ghazali taught that zakat is the bridge between the material and spiritual worlds, transforming attachment to wealth into liberation through generosity.
Quran
Written about in
- What Islam says about justice
An obligatory annual payment on accumulated wealth, separate from voluntary giving. Calling it purification frames wealth that has not been shared as something needing to be cleaned.