the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the man who prayed poorly—one who rushed through the movements without inner stillness—“Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” In other words, the aim is not merely the outward image of prayer—standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. The purpose is that prayer be performed exactly as Allah has legislated, meeting every legal requirement in full.

Next, he cited the proof for almsgiving in Allah’s words: “and they give the zakat,” meaning that they pay it to those who are entitled to receive it—namely, the people whom Allah mentioned when He said: “Charitable donations are only for the poor, the destitute, those employed to collect them, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, in the path of Allah, and for the wayfarer—an obligation ordained by Allah; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise” [al-Tawbah: 60].

The verse lists eight categories and restricts distribution to them by using the word innamā (“only”); therefore, zakat may not be spent outside these eight channels. Whoever directs it elsewhere has not truly given zakat, even if he disburses vast sums—millions or billions—and calls it zakat. It does not qualify as zakat until it is placed where Allah has confined it. That is the meaning of giving zakat. It must also be paid on time, that is, as soon as it becomes due, without delay.