- Ramadan
- Sponsor
- Appeals
Appeals & Projects
![]( "Image (4)")
Sponsor an Orphan
Helping orphan children live a happier and healthier life from just £30.
- Get Involved
- Who we are
- Zakat Calculator
Zakat is one of the core pillars of Islam and is a mandatory form of charity and wealth purification for all Muslims. There are many rules that determine who needs to pay Zakat and who qualifies to receive it. These can be quite confusing at times and many Muslims often wonder how their Zakat helps those in need.
At Orphans in Need, we understand the importance of sharing the role of Zakat in supporting the poor. We strive to share the importance of Zakat and why this type of charity is vital, so you can understand where your Zakat goes and what it does for those in need. Explore how Zakat aids the poor and needy in this blog and understand this obligation more.
Zakat is a mandatory form of charity for all adult Muslims who meet the Nisab threshold. This obligatory payment is the Third Pillar of Islam which separates Zakat from voluntary acts of giving in Islam, such as Sadaqah. Zakat includes the act of purifying wealth by giving a portion of it to those in need.
Zakat is calculated by the percentage of one’s accumulated wealth is typically 2.5%, as long as the wealth exceeds the Nisab threshold. This is a minimum amount that highlights when a Muslim must pay Zakat. The wealth has to be a qualifying asset, such as gold, silver and property possession.
Zakat is important for multiple reasons, the main one being that it’s the Third Pillar of Islam. This is vital for Muslims as if they give Zakat, they can fulfil the Five Pillars of Islam. As well as this, giving Zakat is important as it brings Muslims closer to Allah (SWT) as an act of worship. Another reason why this obligation is essential is it purifies a Muslim’s wealth and re-distributes it to those who need it. Zakat builds a sense of community by relieving the suffering of people who don’t have adequate means to live and survive.
To identify who can pay Zakat, there are a few rules outlined that can help Muslims understand when they must give their Zakat. Islamic guidelines found in the Quran state that a person should be:
Those who can receive Zakat are outlined in Islamic guidelines as:
Zakat has a huge impact on the needy and the local community, playing a vital role in fostering community welfare and promoting social inclusion. Discover how your Zakat donation can support the poor below.
Zakat is a huge factor in alleviating poverty as it redistributes wealth from those who have it to the less fortunate. Redistributing wealth ensures that anyone can have access to the basic necessities we need to survive. Due to this, Zakat can reduce the wealth gap and bring different communities and diverse people together. When you give Zakat, you help to fund the distribution of food, shelter and healthcare which are important to help people get out of poverty.
Zakat promotes social justice as it ensures that wealth is not the focus of people’s lives. It gives those who are wealthy responsibility to support the economic welfare of everybody in the community. Sharing their wealth with those who need it helps prevent social unrest and encourages cooperation and harmony amongst various social classes.
Zakat can invest in small businesses which encourages self-sufficiency. This obligatory form of charity can support individuals to start their own businesses or expand existing ones, leading to the creation of more jobs and economic growth.
Zakat is critical for empowering the poor as it provides them with pivotal resources to make their lives better. This type of charity can give financial support, education and training to help individuals escape poverty. It supports those in need with opportunities and basic necessities they’ve never had access to before, allowing them to become self-sufficient. The empowerment doesn’t only come from the financial support to the poor, but it’s achieved through the tools, resources and opportunities they need to create a better and more sustainable future for themselves.
Paying Zakat instils a deep sense of generosity and gratitude in the community. Individuals who give Zakat are reminded of the blessings they have in their lives and encourage them to share those with others who really need them. Giving purifies their wealth and enhances their spirituality which backs up the values in Islam of empathy and compassion. By regularly partaking in Zakat, communities stick to these values to make a supportive and harmonious environment for everybody.
Practicing Zakat strengthens community bonds by involving every person in the act of giving and receiving. It brings unity and mutual responsibility to take care of one another and reflect on what you have in life. The collective participation builds a unified and strong community where members strive to look out for each other’s success and welfare.
Zakat al-Fitr (Fitrana) is different to Zakat. This is a donation that needs to be made before the Eid prayer at the end of Ramadan. This ensures that the needy receive it in plenty of time so they can enjoy Eid as they can receive a proper meal and other supplies to be a part of the important celebration.
Zakat al-Fitr is one ‘saa’ (3kg) of a common staple food in your country. Muslims can choose to pay the monetary equivalent in their local currency to a charity like Orphans in Need. The minimum amount to donate is £6 per person as it includes each person in your family, including children. This means a family of 4 will pay around £24.
You can pay Zakat al-Fitr to Orphans in Need to ensure those in need can celebrate Eid properly. We give the needy resources, tools and food that are needed for them to be able to enjoy Eid al-Fitr and not miss out.
You can pay Zakat online quickly and easily on our website. We give food and support to those most in need during this blessed time. As well as this, we have the opportunity for you to add a small Eid gift donation for orphans and impoverished children. With this, we can provide festive clothing, sweets, food, and a toy to brighten the Eid celebration for those who otherwise will go without.
There are many common Zakat questions when it comes to supporting the poor and what the donation can do for those in need. To help you, we have cleared some of these questions up below.
A hugely popular question is “Can Zakat be given to masjid?” To answer this in short, no the donation can’t be given to masjid (places of worship).
It is more difficult to answer can you give Zakat to poor relatives? This is because there are particular rules when it comes to family members. Zakat can’t be paid to any family member who is already dependent on you, such as your children However, if another relative is poor or needy, they can be given your Zakat donation.
It is hard to determine the answer to the question “Can Zakat end poverty?” as it takes a lot of dedication to achieve this. However, the power of Zakat is strong, and it definitely can end global poverty eventually.
Many wonder how does Zakat alleviate poverty? Well, this obligatory charity alleviates poverty as it redistributes wealth from those who have it to those who don’t.
In short, the answer to “Can you give Zakat to feed the poor?” is yes. One of the eight people who are eligible to receive Zakat is Maskin (the hungry) and another is al-Fuqara (the poor).
It can be difficult to know how to do a Zakat application if you are one of the eligible people who can receive Zakat. It is best to check with a local scholar to see if you are eligible and how you can request Zakat donations.
A brief outline of applying for Zakat is:
Give your Zakat to Orphans in Need to support the poor who are in desperate need. When you donate your Zakat to us, we will distribute it to relieve the hardships of the most vulnerable and impoverished orphaned children and widowed families around the world.
