Last Updated on July 23, 2024
Zakat is the third pillar of Islam, God mentioned zakat in several verses of the Holy Quran and it was in conjunction with prayer.
Zakat has great humanitarian goals, high moral ideals, and spiritual values that bring goodness to the giver, the taker, and society.
It is obligatory for a Muslim when his money or property reaches a certain amount within a specific period.
Sadaqah is similar to zakat in that money is paid to poor people.
Zakat refers to growth and purification.
While Sadaqah from (sidq) means sincerity, so sadaqah is called that because of the honesty and sincerity of its giver in his giving.
The difference between zakat and charity lies in several points that we will explain in this article.
Difference between sadaqah and zakat definitions:
Zakat: is worshiping God Almighty by giving the zakat that He has obligated to those who deserve it, according to what the Sharia has stated.
Sadaqah: is worshiping God by spending money without an obligation from Sharia.
The virtue of zakat and sadaqah
a. The virtue of zakat
1. May God accept it, develop it for its owner, and bless his wealth.
2. Purification soul from the vice of scarcity, and from the misery of slavery to money
3. purifies the soul from sins, purifies money, and protects it
4. The Muslims used to give and spend money.
5. It also develops the person of the rich and raises his status, bedew the upper hand is better than the lower hand.
6. A reason for people’s love.
b. The virtue of Sadaqah
1. Sadaqah extinguishes the wrath of the Almighty God.
2. It is a medicine and the reason for recovery from illnesses, pains, and ailments.
3. It protects its giver from Hell if his intention is sincere for the sake of God Almighty.
4. “Al-Mutassadik”: the person who pays sadaqah angels pray to him, they pray for compensation and blessings from God Almighty.
The difference between charity and zakat in its obligation:
Zakat is obligatory on a Muslim who owns a sum of money “Nisab” and one year has passed. The “Nisab” is the minimum amount of wealth on which Zakat is obligatory. The Nisab varies depending on the type of Zakatable wealth.
Zakat is obligatory for a Muslim as long as he meets the conditions for zakat, even after death, it must be paid from his wealth before distributing the inheritance.
But Sadaqah is not obligatory, but rather voluntary.
Types of Zakat
The various Zakat Types are:
1. Zakat on banknotes.
2. Zakat on crops and fruits.
3. Zakat on articles of merchandise.
4. Zakat on Livestock.
to calculate zakat on banknotes use this easy tool: Zakat calculator
The difference between zakat and sadaqah in its disbursement and recipients
1. Zakat must be paid to poor Muslims while sadaqah paid to any human.
2. It is not permissible for the Muslim to give zakat to the wife or ascendants and descendants. The ascendants are the mother, father, grandfathers, and grandmothers, the descendants are the children and their children.
As for sadaqah, it is permissible for a wife, parents, grandfathers, grandmothers, children, and grandchildren.
3. Those who deserve zakat are eight categories, as God Almighty has defined them in the verse: “Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakat] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and the cause of Allah and the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.” (Q. 9: 60).Those eight due recipients of Zakat are the poor, the needy, those employed to collect it, those [new converts] whose hearts are brought together for Islam, for freeing captives, those in debt, for the cause of Allah, and stranded travelers. while Sadaqah paid those and others.
The difference between zakat and sadaqah in terms of the punishment for abandoning it
Whoever abandons Zakat will be punished for his money in the afterlife, accor
ding to the hadith, Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said “If any owner of treasure (gold and silver) does not pay what is due on it, Allah will make it heated in the Hellfire on the Day of Judgment, and his side, forehead, and back will be cauterized with it until Allah gives His Judgment among mankind during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years of your count and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or Hell. If any owner does not pay zakat on them, the sheep will appear on the Day or Judgment most strong and in great number, a soft sandy plain will be spread out for them; they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hoofs; there will be none of them with twisted horns or without horns. As often as the last of them passes him, the first of them will be brought back to him, until Allah pronounces His Judgment among mankind during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years that you count, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or Hell. If any owner of camels does not pay what is due on them, they will appear on the Day or Judgment most strong and in great number, a soft sandy plain will be spread out for them; they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hoofs; there will be none of them with twisted horns or without horns. As often as the last of them passes him, the first of them will be brought back to him, until Allah pronounces His Judgment among mankind during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years that you count, and he sees whether his path is to take him to Paradise or Hell.”
While the one who abandons Sadaqah is not punished, he deprives himself of its bounty and great reward, no matter how small it is.
How can you give Sadaqah without spending money?
Moral Sadaqah: It is all kinds of righteousness and kindness that you do and it does not cost you money or effort, but the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH), taught us that it is Sadaqah.
Including a smile on your brother’s face.
Or feed a dog or cat.
Or removing something harmful from people’s way.
Join our Islamic courses at Moddakir Academy if you want to learn more about Sadaqah and Zakat.
