Page 47 - The Vision of Islam

The Vision of Isla m

Zakat, but the amount to be given as a ‘goodly loan’ has no upper
limits. Whoever wishes to be included in the first rank of God’s
servants, i.e. da‘is, must surrender all of his possessions to the
Almighty.
‘Allah has purchased from the faithful their lives and worldly
goods in return for paradise.’ (9:111) Man is enjoined to give
generously for the cause of God. (57:10) Any other course would
lead to self destruction.
If Muslims did not strive for the cause of Islam, they would not
receive the divine blessing. It is for this reason that spending for
the cause of God has been promised a seven hundred fold rewards,
nay even more (2:261). For those who spend on the cause of God,
such precious blessings lie in store as would completely surpass
human knowledge and imagination.
To all appearances, Zakat is a tax, but, in essence, it is a form
of worship. This means that even if the government makes its
payment compulsory (as in the case of government taxation) the
giver cannot properly benefit from it in terms of the reward he will
receive in the hereafter, unless he experiences the feelings special
to an act of worship when he makes the payments.
1. When the believer expects a good reward from God for
his charity, he should be prepared to give away good things.
The Quran states:
O believers, give in alms of the wealth you have lawfully
earned and of that which We have brought out of the earth
for you; not worthless things which you yourselves would
only reluctantly accept. (2:267)
Aishah once intended to give stale meat in charity. Then the
Prophet said: “You are giving in charity what you yourself
cannot eat.” (Musnad Ahmad)
2. Whatever is given should be given with fear in one’s heart.
Believers should “give alms with hearts filled with awe,
knowing that they will return to their Lord.” (23:60).
“Although they hold it dear, they give sustenance to the
poor man, the orphan and the captive, (saying): ‘We feed
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