إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ

"Indeed, Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakat] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveller – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise."(Surah At-Taubah, 9:60)

"Islam Is A Religion (Ad-Din) That Desires Its Followers To Be Obedient In Fulfilling The Rights Of Allah SWT. At The Same Time, Islam Demands That Humans Fulfil The Rights Of Fellow Human Beings Through The Practice Of Mutual Assistance And Mutual Respect In Society.

Thus, The Assistance Obligated By The Religion Of Islam Is The Compulsory Obligation Of Zakat, Which Is Taken From Those Who Are Capable To Be Given To Those Who Are Entitled To Receive It, As Stipulated In The Verse Above."

َأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرْكَعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ

"And establish prayer and pay zakat and bow down with those who bow down." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:43)

"Islam is a religion or ad-din that desires its followers to be obedient individuals in fulfilling the rights of Allah SWT, and Islam also requires those obedient individuals to fulfil the rights of fellow human beings, such as mutual assistance and mutual respect in social interaction.

Thus, the assistance obligated by the religion of Islam is the compulsory obligation of zakat, which is taken from those who are capable to be given to those who are entitled to receive it."

مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَٰلَهُمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنۢبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِى كُلِّ سُنۢبُلَةٍۢ مِّا۟ئَةُ حَبَّةٍۢ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُضَـٰعِفُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

"The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed that grows producing seven ears, each ear containing a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies reward for whom He wills, and Allah is All-Encompassing (in His mercy) and All-Knowing." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:261)

"The process of paying zakat is the foundation of our perfection and piety in upholding the sacred religion of Islam. In the Quran, Allah SWT describes the rewards that will be obtained for those who fulfil it."

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ ٣٤ يَوْمَ يُحْمَىٰ عَلَيْهَا فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ فَتُكْوَىٰ بِهَا جِبَاهُهُمْ وَجُنُوبُهُمْ وَظُهُورُهُمْ ۖ هَـٰذَا مَا كَنَزْتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ فَذُوقُوا۟ مَا كُنتُمْ تَكْنِزُونَ ٣٥

"And those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend them in the way of Allah, then announce to them a painful torment. On that day, the gold and silver (and all wealth they possessed) will be heated in the fire of hell, then their foreheads, their sides, and their backs will be branded with it (and it will be said to them), this is what you hoarded for yourselves. So taste the torment that you have been hoarding." (Surah At-Taubah, 9:34-35)

Likewise, for those who deny and deliberately underestimate or delay, Allah SWT has given warning and reminder and has promised a torment of unbearable pain.

وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِۦ هُوَ خَيْرًۭا لَّهُم ۖ بَلْ هُوَ شَرٌّۭ لَّهُمْ ۖ سَيُطَوَّقُونَ مَا بَخِلُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۗ

"Let not those who are stingy with what Allah has given them from His bounty think that stinginess is good for them. In fact, stinginess is bad for them. What they withhold will be tied around their necks on the Day of Judgement." (Surah Ali Imran, 3:180)

Why are humans willing to be stingy with the wealth that Allah SWT has bestowed upon them? Such stinginess shows that humans have made it their goal in life, and thus their life will surely lead to evil, whereas Islam only places wealth as a means to fulfil all the temporary needs of life in this world.

The evil that lies behind human stinginess and disobedience to the commands of Allah SWT has caused those who are entitled to such wealth to be denied their rights, especially among the poor and needy, as well as the eight groups or asnaf.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ ٥ وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ٦ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ ٧

"As for those who give (in charity or zakat) and are mindful of Allah and believe in the best (and the reward of paradise), We will facilitate for them the easy path (that leads to success in this world and the hereafter)." (Surah Al-Lail, 92:5-7)

"Allah SWT greatly loves those who sincerely spend their wealth in the way of Allah. Allah SWT praises their deeds."

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةًۭ تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا

"Take from their wealth zakat, so that by it you purify them (from sin) and cleanse them (from bad character)." (Surah At-Taubah, 9:103)

"The Quran explains that zakat has two main purposes, namely (At-Tathhir) purification and (At-Tazkiah) cleansing. Indeed, the human heart greatly loves wealth and riches."

مَا سَلَكَكُمْ فِى سَقَرَ ٤٢ قَالُوا۟ لَمْ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلْمُصَلِّينَ ٤٣ وَلَمْ نَكُ نُطْعِمُ ٱلْمِسْكِينَ ٤٤

"(The people of paradise ask the people of hell): 'What caused you to enter Saqar (hell)?' The people of hell reply: 'We were not among those who prayed, nor did we ever feed (give charity to) the poor.'"(Surah Al-Muddaththir, 74:42-44)

"Remember! Those who refuse to give charity and pay zakat are among the characteristics of people whom Allah SWT will cast into the fire of hell."

"From Ibn Umar Radhiallahu 'Anhuma, that the Messenger of Allah s.a.w. said:

'The Messenger of Allah s.a.w. made Zakat Fitrah obligatory, one sa' of dates, or one sa' of wheat, upon the slave or the free man, the male or the female, the young or the old from among the Muslims. And the Prophet commanded that it be paid before the people go out to perform the (Eid) prayer.'"

(Narrated by Imam Bukhari and Muslim)

"Why is it called Zakat Fitrah?

Imam An-Nawawi r.a. mentioned that fitrah means the soul or the original nature of human creation. Therefore, Zakat Fitrah is obligated by Allah SWT upon Muslims as a redemption of the soul from the sins and wrongdoings they have committed."

"Narrated from Ibn Abbas r.a.:

The Messenger of Allah s.a.w. obligated Zakat Fitrah as a purification for those who fast from vain talk and obscene speech, and as food for the poor. Whoever pays Zakat Fitrah before the (Eid) prayer, it is an accepted zakat for him. Whoever pays it after the (Eid) prayer, it is just a charity like any other charity."

"Let us not be among those Muslims who leave their fellow Muslim brothers abandoned in suffering and hardship without caring about their condition. The Messenger of Allah s.a.w. reminded us with his saying, which means:"

"A Muslim who sleeps with a full stomach while knowing that his neighbour is hungry does not have faith in me."(Narrated by Al-Bazzar)

"Let us not become a nation that is stingy and miserly with our wealth, to the extent that we are unwilling to give it out as zakat to others who are very much in need."