SADAQAH AND ZAKAH

1. What did the righteous man usually do at the time of the harvest?
At the time of the harvest, he used to give fruits to the poor and the needy quite generously.


2. What change occurred when the fruit-garden passed into the hands of his sons? 
Unlike their father, the sons were greedy and thought that it was foolish to give away in alms a huge measure of fruits to the poor and the needy.


3. When the time for the harvest arrived, they made a secret plan. What secret plan did they make? Why? 
They decided to pluck all the fruits  in the small hours of the night, before the poor could arrive to ask for their share. The reason for this plan was that they wanted to tell the poor that they did not had any harvest that season.


4. Why did Allah send down punishment upon them?
Allah sent down punishment upon them because they wanted to deprive the poor of their share.


5. What was its effect upon them? 
They realized their mistake and sought forgiveness from Allah.


6. The Qur’an is not a book of stories. It is a Book of Guidance. What lesson does the Holy Book want to teach us through the incident of these two men? 
The moral of this incident is that all the favours we enjoy in this world are from Allah. Allah has made this world for us, but nothing belongs to us. Allah has placed all of us ‘in charge’ of it.


7. What is the difference between Sadaqah and Zakah? 
Sadaqah is optional but Zakah is obligatory. Sadaqah is to be given by every Muslim while Zakah is compulsory on the rich. Zakah is one of the five Pillars of Islam while Sadaqah is not. Zakah is to be given once in every year and Sadaqah can be given as many times.


8. Does it cost to be kind and helpful? Mention various ways in which we can help one another. 
No, it costs nothing to be kind and helpful. Giving some money to the poor, providing water to the thirsty, visiting the sick person, feeding the hungry are some of the ways in which we can help one another.


9. What is Zakah? What does Zakah purify? 
Zakah means ‘purifying dues’. It is one of the five pillars of Islam. Paying of Zakah purifies the wealth. It removes greed and purifies the heart of the person who pays the Zakah.

10. Is it binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakah? 
No, it is not binding on every Muslim to pay the Zakah.


11. What part of wealth is a rich Muslim required to pay in Zakah?
The amount that a rich Muslim is required to pay in Zakah is 2.5 per cent of his possessions after he has paid or set a sum of money aside for all this necessary debts and obligations.


12. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the most generous of all. Discuss. 
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never denied anyone anything. At the beginning of his illness, before his death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had in his house seven dinars; he feared he might die while some money still lay with him. He, therefore, commanded his relatives to give away that money to the poor. This incident speaks a lot about the generous nature of the Prophet (peace be upon him).