Editing Alms (section)

== Islam ==
In Islam, the concept of Muhsi or Muhsin alms-giver or charitable giving is generally divided into voluntary giving, ''[[sadaqah|ṣadaqah]]'' ({{lang|ar|صدقة}}), and an obligatory practice, the ''[[zakat|zakāh]]'' ({{lang|ar|الزكاة}}). ''Zakāh'' is governed by a specific set of rules within [[Fiqh|Islamic jurisprudence]] and is intended to fulfill a well-defined set of theological and social requirements. ''Ṣadaqah'' is possibly a better translation of Christian influenced formulations of the notion of "alms" for that reason, though ''zakāh'' plays a much larger role within Islamic charity.

=== ''Zakat'' ===
{{main|Zakat}}
''Zakāh'' is the third of the [[Five Pillars of Islam|five pillars of Islam]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpillars.html |title=Five Pillars |publisher=PBS |access-date=2010-11-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628223009/http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithpillars.html |archive-date=2011-06-28 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Hooker |first=Richard |url=http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/5PILLARS.HTM |title=Arkan ad-Din the five pillars of religion |publisher=[[Washington State University]] |date=14 July 1999 |access-date=2010-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203124633/http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/GLOSSARY/5PILLARS.HTM |archive-date=2010-12-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The literal meaning of the word ''zakāh'' is "to purify", "to develop" and "cause to grow". ''Zakāh'' is the amount of money that every Muslim, male or female, who is an adult, mentally stable, free, and financially able, has to pay to support specific categories of people. According to ''[[shariah]]'', it is an act of [[worship]]. Possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need. This cutting back, like the pruning of plants, balances and encourages new growth. Various rules are attached but, in general terms, it is obligatory to give 2.5% of one's savings and business revenue and 5–10% of one's harvest to the poor.<ref name="ZakatGuide">{{cite web |title=End to End Zakat Guide |url=https://www.muslimaid.org/what-we-do/religious-dues/zakat/ |website=Muslim Aid |access-date=28 January 2025 |language=en}}</ref> Possible recipients include the destitute, the [[working poor]], those who are unable to pay off their own debts, stranded travelers and others who need assistance, with the general principle of ''zakat'' always being that the rich should pay it to the poor. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust.<ref>{{citequran|2|116|b=y}}</ref><ref>{{citequran|36|47|b=y}}</ref>

This category of people is defined in [[At-Tawbah]]:
{{blockquote|"The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarers; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is knower, Wise."|Qur'an 9:60}}

The obligatory nature of ''zakat'' is firmly established in the Qur'an, the ''[[sunnah]]'' (or ''[[hadith]]''), and the consensus of the companions and the Muslim scholars. Allah states in [[At-Tawbah]]:
{{blockquote|"O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah. announce unto them a most grievous penalty – On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!"|Qur'an 9:34–35}}

Muslims of each era have agreed upon the obligatory nature of paying ''zakat'' from their gold and silver, and from other kinds of currency.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mufti |first=Imam |title=The Third Pillar of Islam: Compulsory Charity |url=https://www.islamreligion.com/articles/46/third-pillar-of-islam/ |access-date=2021-09-17 |website=www.islamreligion.com |language=en}}</ref>

==== ''Nisab'' ====
{{main|Nisab}}
''Zakat'' is obligatory when a certain amount of money, called the ''nisab'' (or minimum amount), is reached or exceeded. Zakat is not obligatory if the amount owned is less than this ''nisab''. The ''nisab'' of gold and golden currency is 20 ''mithqal'', or approximately 85&nbsp;grams of pure gold. One ''mithqal'' is approximately 4.25&nbsp;grams. The ''nisab'' of silver and silver currency is 200 dirhams, which is approximately 595&nbsp;grams of pure silver. The ''nisab'' of other kinds of money and currency is to be scaled to that of gold; the ''nisab'' of money is equivalent to the price of 85&nbsp;grams of 999-type (pure) gold on the day in which ''zakat'' is paid.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-05-13|title=What is Zakat on money and When is it required? {{!}} Donate your Zakat|url=https://www.beyazeller.org/en/zakat-ul-mal/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Beyaz Eller Association|language=en-US}}</ref>

''Zakat'' is obligatory after the money has been in the control of its owner for the span of one lunar year; a lunar year is approximately 355 days. The owner then needs to pay 2.5% (or 1/40) of the money as ''zakat''. The owner should deduct any amount of money he or she borrowed from others, check if the rest reaches the necessary ''nisab'', then pay ''zakat'' for it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Islamic Aid Zakat (Zakah) {{!}} Donate your Zakat to Fight Poverty in Asia and Africa|url=https://islamicaid.org/zakat-zakah/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Islamic Aid - changing lives for good - Donate Now Zakat (Zakah) {{!}} Sadaqah {{!}} Refugee Services {{!}} Flood & Disaster Relief Worldwide|language=en-US}}</ref>

If the owner had enough money to satisfy the ''nisab'' at the beginning of the year, but his wealth in any form increased, the owner needs to add the increase to the ''nisab'' amount owned at the beginning of the year and then pay ''zakat'', 2.5%, of the total at the end of the lunar year. There are minor differences between ''fiqh'' schools on how this is to be calculated. Each Muslim calculates his or her own ''zakat'' individually. For most purposes, this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.<ref name="ZakatGuide" />

=== ''Sadaqah'' ===
{{main|Sadaqah}}
A pious person may also give alms as much as he or she pleases as ''ṣadaqah'', and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity', it has a wider meaning, as illustrated in the [[hadith]]s:

{{blockquote|The [[Muhammad|Messenger of Allah]] said: "Every good is charity. Indeed among the good is to meet your brother with a smiling face, and to pour what is left in your bucket into the vessel of your brother."|[[Jamiʽ at-Tirmidhi]] 27.76, hadith compiled by [[Al-Tirmidhi]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ibn ‛Isa at-Tirmidhi |first=Muhammad, Imam |author-link=Al-Tirmidhi |year=1970 |title=Jamiʽ at-Tirmidhi |url=https://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/27/76 |via=Sunnah.com}}</ref>}}

{{blockquote|[[Muhammad|The Prophet]] said: "Charity is a necessity for every Muslim." He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?" The Prophet replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such earnings in charity." The Companions asked: "What if he is not able to work?"

The Prophet said: "He should help poor and needy persons." The Companions further asked "What if he cannot do even that?" The Prophet said "He should urge others to do good." The Companions said "What if he lacks that also?" The Prophet said "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also charity."|[[Riyadh as-Salihin]] 141, hadith compiled by [[Al-Nawawi]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ibn Sharaf an-Nawawi |first=Yahya, Imam |author-link=Al-Nawawi |title=Riyadh as-Salihin |publisher=Tughra Books |edition=Reprint, Bilingual |date=16 June 2014 |isbn=978-1597843331 |pages=120–121}}</ref>}}