zakat

In Islam, the obligatory duty to pay annually a percentage of income as alms; it is the third of the Five Pillars of Islam The payment ‘cleanses’ the income of possessiveness, and reminds Muslims that everything is owned by God. Different rates apply to different types of income; for instance, there is a 2.5% levy on money and 5% on harvest from irrigated land. The money and goods are redistributed to those in need, such as the poor, needy travellers, or to those in debt.

Zakat must be given privately; it is not an occasion for praise, but a duty. Surplus or second-rate goods are not acceptable. Zakat is not the same as giving to charity, which Muslims believe should be done continually and automatically.