The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Islam is built upon five pillars: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; establishing prayer; and giving zakah …” (the remainder of the ḥadīth follows).

The Muslims are unanimously agreed that zakah is obligatory, that it is the third pillar of Islam, that whoever denies its obligation is deemed an unbeliever, and that those who refuse to pay it are to be fought.

Zakah was ordained in the second year after the Prophet’s migration. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, dispatched collectors to receive it and convey it to those who deserve it; this remained the practice of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and of the Muslim community after them.

Zakah is an act of kindness toward creation; it purifies one’s property from defilement, shields it from calamities, and embodies servitude to the Lord, glorified be He. Allah the Exalted says: “Take from their wealth a charity by which you will cleanse them and purify them, and pray for them. Indeed, your prayer is a source of tranquility for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing” (Qur’an 9:103). Thus, zakah cleanses souls of greed and miserliness and tests the affluent, who draw nearer to Allah by parting with a portion of the wealth they cherish.

Allah has prescribed it on categories of wealth that can bear equitable sharing and in which