It Is Not Your Money

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends,

I pray that you are well.

Our relationship with food is something we can't live without. But once we take in the food, it produces waste within our body. If we don't release it, we get weak or we get sick and it can become poison in our body and we can die from it. So the food is a wonderful thing as long as we take the benefit of it and release the waste of it. Otherwise, we are harmed by not having it or by keeping all of it.

Money is like food. Without money, we basically can't live. We can't shop for anything. But at the same time if we hoard money, a meaning of filth spreads to that money. If we were to keep all that money, that meaning of filth will spread throughout the money and poison it. This poisoning is the lack of blessing inside this money. So someone might spend but no blessing in what he is spending. He might have a lot of money but the money will vanish one day. He buys food but the food doesn't nourish the way it is meant to nourish. Everything is poisoned by the money that bought it--food, clothes, cars, house, and so on.

How do you purify all of these? It is by releasing the waste from your money. This is the meaning of zakat. Money need to be purified by taking an amount out and giving it away and the rest of money is purified. By spending in zakat, it physically decreases the money you have, but in reality it hugely increases your money. Because now the rest of the money has worth and has purity. So everything that you bought with that money will have blessing. There is blessing in the food you eat, in the clothes you wear, in the house you live in, in the car you drive, and your du'as are answered.

The giving in charity and zakat, in particular, shows that you are honest in the claim to faith to Islam and in the claim that you believe in the Unseen.

ذَٲلِكَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبُ لَا رَيۡبَ‌ۛ فِيهِ‌ۛ هُدً۬ى لِّلۡمُتَّقِينَ (٢) ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ يُنفِقُونَ (٣)

"This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God, who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them." Qur'an Al-Baqarah 2:2-3

The fact that you spend of your money in charity and zakat, it is a proof that you are true when you say La illaha illa Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah (There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace.) It is a proof that you are a believer. It is a sign of your honesty and genuineness in your claim of Faith.

Islam views poverty as a problem and it has to be solved. The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Poverty is almost akin to disbelief." Why?
Because when a person experiences extreme poverty it can drive him to criminal act. We can see in any country where the economics aren't working, there are many crimes--murder, theft, mugging and insecurity. When people have insecurity, character might collapse in that society and it also can sometimes lead to people to utter words of disbelief. Poverty takes a person out of his shell that we put over ourselves--educated, intelligent, cultured and civilized. Poverty will strip us off the shell quicker than we might expect.

This is a du'a of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, which conjoins poverty and disbelief.

اللّهُـمَّ إِنّـي أَعـوذُبِكَ مِنَ الْكُـفر ، وَالفَـقْر ، وَأَعـوذُبِكَ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر ، لا إلهَ إلاّ أَنْـتَ

"O Allah , I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but You."

In the earlier days of Islam, the early Qur'anic revelation didn't deal with detail rulings. They dealt in belief, character, morals and next life. They weren't heavy in legal rulings. The rulings came later in the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Yet in the earlier days of Islam, this is a religion that does not tolerate the neglect of the poor.

In Surah Muddaththir (Scholars said this was the second revelation to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace), we were being told that not feeding the indigent is a reason to go to Hell.

فِى جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ يَتَسَآءَلُونَ (٤٠) عَنِ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمِينَ (٤١) مَا سَلَڪَكُمۡ فِى سَقَرَ (٤٢) قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ (٤٣) وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ (٤٤)

'(They will be) in Gardens (of Delight): and will ask, Of the Sinners: "What led you into Hell-Fire?" They will say: "We were not of those who prayed;" "Nor were we of those who fed the indigent;"...' Qur'an 74:40-44

It is a serious crime for those who would not urging the feeding of the poor.

خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ (٣٠) ثُمَّ ٱلۡجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ (٣١) ثُمَّ فِى سِلۡسِلَةٍ۬ ذَرۡعُهَا سَبۡعُونَ ذِرَاعً۬ا فَٱسۡلُكُوهُ (٣٢) إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ لَا يُؤۡمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ (٣٣) وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينِ

'(The stern command will say): "Seize him and fetter him; Then throw him in the blazing Fire. "Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits! "Verily, He used not to believe in Allah, the Most Great,And urged not on the feeding of the poor' Qur'an Haaqqa 69:30-34

In this early Makkan surah, even without any fix commandment to pay zakat, it was known that any righteous person would always has a share of his wealth for the poor.

ٱلَّذِينَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِہِمۡ دَآٮِٕمُونَ (٢٣) وَٱلَّذِينَ فِىٓ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ حَقٌّ۬ مَّعۡلُومٌ۬ (٢٤) لِّلسَّآٮِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ (٢٥)

"Those who remain constant in their Salat (prayers); And those in whose wealth there is a recognized right, For the beggar who asks, and for the unlucky who has lost his property and wealth, (and his means of living has been straitened);" Qur'an Al-Maarij 70:23-25

When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, moved to Madina and the commandments of Islam were organized into this very heavily legislative period of the Madinan phase of the Prophet's mission, the zakat was legislated. In the beginning Makkan phase, there was a general injunction to taking care of the poor and then, in the Madinan phase, there was an obligatory structured payment of zakat that was made a pillar of this entire religion.

Ibn Mas'ud, Allah be pleased with him, said, "We were told to pray and give zakat, he who does not give zakat has no prayer"

If we do a quick survey of where zakat is mentioned in the Qur'an, we get a feeling that those who don't pay zakat, he is not differentiated from the trait of an idolator.

قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ بَشَرٌ۬ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ أَنَّمَآ إِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهٌ۬ وَٲحِدٌ۬ فَٱسۡتَقِيمُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُوهُ‌ۗ وَوَيۡلٌ۬ لِّلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ (٦) ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَهُم بِٱلۡأَخِرَةِ هُمۡ كَـٰفِرُونَ (٧)

"Say (O Muhammad, Allah bless him and grant him peace): 'I am but a man like you: It is revealed to me that your God is One God. So stand true to Him, and ask for His Forgiveness.' And woe to those who join gods with God--Those who don't give zakat, and who even deny the Hereafter" Qur'an Fussilat 41:6-7

If he doesn't pay zakat happily, then he is no different than the hypocrite.

وَمَا مَنَعَهُمۡ أَن تُقۡبَلَ مِنۡہُمۡ نَفَقَـٰتُهُمۡ إِلَّآ أَنَّهُمۡ ڪَفَرُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَبِرَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا يَأۡتُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ ڪُسَالَىٰ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ إِلَّا وَهُمۡ كَـٰرِهُونَ

"And nothing prevents their contributions from being accepted from them except that they disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger (Allah bless him and grant him peace); and that they came not to As-Salat (the prayer) except in a lazy state; and that they offer not contributions but unwillingly." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:54

How do we deserve the Mercy of Allah if we don't give charity and zakat?

وَٱڪۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةً۬ وَفِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ‌ۚ قَالَ عَذَابِىٓ أُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَآءُ‌ۖ وَرَحۡمَتِى وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ۬‌ۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُہَا لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِينَ هُم بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ

"And ordain for us that which is good, in this life and in the Hereafter: for we have turned unto Thee." He said: "With My punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extend to all things. That (mercy) I shall ordain for those who do right, and give zakat, and those who believe in Our signs;" Qur'an Al-Araf 7:156

How do we get victory on the earth if we don't give zakat and establish zakat? The traits of those who Allah will give real physical supremacy, these are the people who give zakat and establish zakat if given the power.

ٱلَّذِينَ أُخۡرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِم بِغَيۡرِ حَقٍّ إِلَّآ أَن يَقُولُواْ رَبُّنَا ٱللَّهُ‌ۗ وَلَوۡلَا دَفۡعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعۡضَہُم بِبَعۡضٍ۬ لَّهُدِّمَتۡ صَوَٲمِعُ وَبِيَعٌ۬ وَصَلَوَٲتٌ۬ وَمَسَـٰجِدُ يُذۡڪَرُ فِيہَا ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ ڪَثِيرً۬ا‌ۗ وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ ۥۤ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَقَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ (٤٠) ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّـٰهُمۡ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَقَامُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُاْ ٱلزَّڪَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُواْ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَنَهَوۡاْ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ‌ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡأُمُورِ (٤١)

"...God will certainly aid those who aid his (cause);- for verily God is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will). (They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give zakat, enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with God rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs." Qur'an Al-Hajj 22:40-41

Zakat and charity are means for a person to rise above materialism. It is a spending when you do it regularly, you help yourself get away from this idea that I have to have everything in my pocket. Zakat is a cure for greed and a means to prosperity.

وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَـٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡہِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِى صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةً۬ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِہِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِہِمۡ

"But those who before them, had homes (in Madīna) and had adopted the Faith,- show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves, even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls,- they are the ones that achieve prosperity." Qur'an Al-Hashr 59:9

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Watch out for greed. The people before you were only destroyed by greed. It commanded them to be stingy so they were stingy. It commanded them to cut relations so they cut them. It commanded them to wickedness so they were wicked." (Ahmad)

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Destructive traits are three: greed that is obeyed, passions that are followed, and the pride of a man with himself." (Ahmad)

So zakat is a purification of these destructive traits that Allah and His Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, have warned us of.

خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٲلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةً۬ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيہِم بِہَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ‌ۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنٌ۬ لَّهُمۡ‌ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

"Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allah for them. Verily! Your invocations are a source of security for them, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower." Qur'an At-Tawba 9:103

"All the good deeds are contained in 2 categories: venerating the command of Allah and showing compassion to the slaves of Allah." Imam Razi

All injunctions of Islam will return back to this meaning. Zakat has both: we exalt the command of Allah by following His rulings carefully and diligently; we show compassion to the people because the whole worship in total is taking care of the slaves of Allah who are in need.

We, as a community of Muslims, are obliged to alleviate the suffering of those who are in need. You might say, "How can I be obliged to take care of the hunger, this is my money?" No, it is not your money, it is Allah's money. You are merely an agent. So listen to what He says when He tells you what to do with His money.

لِلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلۡغَنِىُّ ٱلۡحَمِيدُ

"To Allah belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, Allah, He is Al-Ghanî (Rich, Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise" Qur'an Luqman 31:26.

Note: Haram wealth is not purified by zakat and must be gotten rid of. This is wealth from, for example, money from interest payment, money received in court judgments for which you lied, money taken from people that are not yours, unlawful gains, money from violating contract with people, wages from cheating on your time sheet, and so on. This money is intrinsically filthy and the paying of zakat will not purify the filth and the poison in this money. The poison is intrinsic and will remain poison in one's life, food, clothes, etc.

May Allah provide us lawful income and save us from poverty and disbelief. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam