5 – “Charitable dues are only for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect them, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing people from bondage, for those in debt, in the path of Allah, and for the wayfarer—an obligation from Allah; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise” (9 : 60).

• Here, the term “charitable dues” (al-ṣadaqāt) refers to zakah. These eight are its lawful recipients: if the payment is directed to any one of them, the obligation is fulfilled and the zakah is valid; if it is given elsewhere, it is invalid.

• The verse’s beneficiaries fall into two broad divisions:

  • A group that receives because of personal need: the poor, the needy, slaves seeking emancipation, the wayfarer, and the debtor who borrowed for himself.
  • A group that receives for a public benefit whose attainment is necessary; this comprises the remaining categories.

• The poor and the needy stand in contrast to the wealthy. The poor (faqir) are in greater straitened circumstances than the needy (miskin); Allah mentioned them first, and what is more pressing is usually given precedence, though need is the common denominator between the two.

• “Those employed to collect it” are the agents who gather the zakah, record it, safeguard it, and distribute it to its rightful recipients. They are given a share even if they are themselves affluent, for their portion is considered remuneration for their service.

• “Those whose hearts are to be reconciled” are the tribal leaders and chieftains whose being given a share brings benefit to Islam and the Muslims—whether by warding off their potential harm, hoping for their acceptance of Islam (and that of their peers), assisting in its collection from those who refuse to pay, or strengthening their existing faith.

• “For freeing [people] from bondage” means spending zakah to release others from servitude: assisting contracted slaves in paying off their agreements, purchasing captives in order to set them free, or ransoming Muslim prisoners held by the enemy.