To Be Right on Target, These Kinds of Zakah You Need to Know

Kinds of zakat are important knowledge that you must know when the month of Ramadan arrives. Because in this holy month, there are 2 obligations of a Muslim that must be fulfilled, namely fasting and alms. Obligatory prayers certainly do not miss, but the command to pray is not only during the month of Ramadan, as well as fasting and alms. Prayers must be performed every day.

Every Muslim who is well-off, has excess assets, and has fulfilled the requirements to be subject to the obligation of zakat, is obliged to fulfill the command of zakat which is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. As the Prophet said, "Islam is built on five things: testifying that there is no god except Allah and Muhammad is His messenger; establish prayers; fasting (in the month of Ramadan); pay zakat; and make a pilgrimage to Baitullah (for those who are able) "(HR. Muslim).

Zakat is divided into 2 types, namely zakat fitrah and zakat maal or commonly also known as zakat of wealth. To be clearer, let's, see the following explanation.

Zakat Fitrah

Zakat al-Fitr is a mandatory expenditure for every Muslim who has an excess of reasonable family needs on the eve and Eid Al-Fitr. This is a form of gratitude to God for having completed the fasting service and to make the poor needy happy on the day of victory. Zakat is also intended to cleanse small sins that may be present when someone is carrying out Ramadan fasting, so that we really return to the state of nature or holiness. Such is the meaning.

Zakat al-Fitr must be done once a year. The limit on the adoption of zakat fitrah starts from the beginning of the month of Ramadan until before the Idul Fitri prayer. Zakat al-Fitr can only be done in that time period. If it is paid after the Eid prayer, for example, the zakat paid will be changed to the form of alms.

As stated in the Hadith of the Prophet, "Whoever performs the zakat fitri before the Id prayers then the zakat is accepted and whoever performs it after the Id prayer then it is only considered as alms among various alms." (Narrated by Abu Daud).

In Indonesia, zakat fitrah is offered in the form of rice. The amount to be paid is 3.5 liters or equivalent to 2.5 kilograms of rice. The quality of tasted rice must be at least the same as the quality of rice that can be consumed daily. If you want to pay it in money, then you have to pay the equivalent of 3.5 liters or 2.5 kilograms of rice as well.

This is explained in one of the hadiths, which reads: "Rasulullah SAW requires zakat fitrah of Ramadan as much as one sha 'date or wheat for every independent Muslim or male or female slave" (HR. Bukhari Muslim). Dates or wheat was the staple food of the Arabs at that time. So in Indonesia this obligation is paid in the form of rice because rice is our staple food.

Zakat Maal

According to language, maal means tendencies, or everything that is desired by humans to be owned and stored. Meanwhile, according to the conditions, maal is anything that can be owned and can be used as usual. For example: income / profession, home, car, livestock, agricultural products, money, gold, silver, etc.

The amount of zakat maal that must be issued has its own calculation, depending on the type of property. To be sure, according to religious law, one of the conditions of property that must be tithed is the achievement of Nisab (minimum amount) and haul (time limit of ownership).

In general, the ratio of zakat maal is equivalent to 85 grams of gold. And the amount of zakat maal that must be issued is 2.5%. Zakat maal is issued not necessarily in the month of Ramadan as is zakat fitrah. What is important, haul or ownership limits have been met.

Have you started to shed some light on the types of zakat? If you still don't understand, you can go to the nearest Amil Zakat Agency from your house. In addition to helping to distribute zakat to groups who are entitled to receive it, you can also ask about calculating zakat. Happy Zakat!