We've Put Together A Detailed Outline Of The Different Types Of Charity And Donations. If You Have Any
Further Questions, Please Feel Free To Contact Us By Telephone Or Email.
The Qur'an Makes Mention Of Eight Eligible Categories. If It Is Not Given To Any Of These Eight
Eligible Categories, Then The Zakat Will Be Void And It Will Become Necessary To Re-Pay. It Is
An Obligation On One's Own Self To Ensure Zakat Is Handled Appropriately Or Given To Trustworthy
Sources To Be Allocated Suitably.
The Giving Of Zakat Is Compulsory Upon Every Single Muslim Who Is Sane, Mature And Meets The
Threshold Amount (Nisab), Male Or Female.
WHO CAN ZAKAT BE GIVEN TO?
The Qur'an Makes Mention Of Eight Eligible Categories. If It Is Not Given To Any Of These Eight
Eligible Categories, Then The Zakat Will Be Void And It Will Become Necessary To Re-Pay. It Is An
Obligation On One's Own Self To Ensure Zakat Is Handled Appropriately Or Given To Trustworthy
Sources To Be Allocated Suitably.
What Are The Eight Eligible Categories?
The Eight Eligible Categories For Zakat Are As Follows –
1.
The Poor – This Means Those On A Low Income, Indigent Or
Who Do Not Reach The Threshold Amount To Pay Zakat.
2.
The Needy – This Means Someone Who Is In Difficulty Or
Extremely Destitute.
4.
Those Whose Hearts Are To Be Reconciled – This Refers To
New Muslims And Friends Of The Muslim Communities.
5.
Those In Bondage – This Refers To Slaves And Captives.
8.
The Wayfarer – This Refers To Those Who Are Stranded Or
Travelling With Very Few Resources.
Anyone Who Reaches The Threshold Amount And Fits The Criteria To Pay Zakat Must Calculate 2.5% Of
Their Applicable "Zakatable" Wealth And Pay This As Zakat. Scholars Generally Advise That A Little
Extra Should Be Given Just In Case.
Sadaqah is voluntary charity given out of compassion, love, or generosity. Unlike Zakat, it is
not obligatory and can be given at any time in any amount.
Any Muslim can give Sadaqah regardless of their wealth or status. It is a highly encouraged act
of worship that brings blessings and rewards.
What Is Sadaqah Waajibah?
This Form Of Sadaqah Is Binding And Is Compulsory To Fulfil. It's Very Similar To Zakat In Terms Of
Where It Can Be Spent Or Distributed. Where Zakat Can Only Be Given To Eligible Beneficiaries Who
Are Muslim, The Beneficiary For Any Sadaqah Donations Do Not Need To Be. Sadaqah Waajibah Can Be
Given To Non-Muslims Also.
Are There Different Types Of Sadaqah Waajibah?
Yes, There Are 6 Main Categories:
1. Sadaqatul Fitr
-
• This Is A Very Emphasised Sunnah (Practice Of Our Beloved Messenger) And According To Some
Hadiis The Status Of Wealth Differs. The Becomes Due Before The Solah Of Eid Al Fitr,
However One Should Endeavour To Pay This At Least A Few Days Before. This Is So That The
Funds Actually Reach The Poor And They Are Able To Utilise It On Eid Day.
-
• Similar To Zakat, Any Sane Muslim, Who Possesses The Value Of Nisab Beyond The Basic
Necessities Needed Must Fulfil This Form Of Sadaqah. For Those Who Have Children Who Have
Not Become Of Age, The Fathers Are Instructed To Give Sadaqatul Fitr On Behalf Of Them. If
One Does Not Give Sadaqah Fitr On Time Or At All, It Will Still Be Due Regardless Of How
Much Time Has Passed After Eid.
-
• The Amount To Be Given Is Usually Specified Wherever One Gives The Funds To However This
Amount Should Be Equal To 1.6kg Of Wheat Or 3.2kg Of Barley, Or The Like Thereof. It Is Not
A Requirement For One To Actually Distribute Wheat Or Barley But Rather Should Give Its
Equivalent Value In Money.
2. Fidyah
-
• Fidyah Is Given As A Form Of Compensation For Someone Who Is Unable To Perform Missed
Prayers/Salah Or Fasts. This Can Be Due To Some Terminal Illness Or Being Deceased And No
Longer Alive To Make Up For What Has Been Missed. This Compensation Can Also Be Given For
Someone Who Makes A Minor Mistake During Hajj.
-
• Fidyah Is Normally Classed As A Sadaqah Waajibah And The Amount Is Similar To The Amount
Given For Sadaqatul Fitr. It Can Also Be Given As Sadaqah Naafillah On Behalf Of An
Individual Or Deceased In Which Case Both The Deceased And The One Who Has Given It Will Be
Rewarded.
3. Kaffarah
-
• This Form Of Compensation Is Also Sadaqah Waajibah. When A Person Breaks A Fast
Intentionally, Breaks An Oath Or Takes The Life Of Someone, Kaffarah Becomes Obligatory.
There Are Two Types Of Kaffarah Under Which Different Actions Are Categorised:
-
• Greater Kaffarah
-
• Someone Upon Whom It Is Necessary To Give "Greater Kaffarah" Can Either Free A
Slave (If Possible) Or Fast For Sixty Consecutive Days. If Neither Are Possible, A
Person Can Feed Sixty Poor People For A Day, Where Each Meal Is Equivalent To A
Fidyah And Will Normally Be Two Meals A Day. If It Is Not Possible To Feed People In
One Day, Then A Person May Feed One Person For Sixty Days. In This Instance, A
Person Cannot Give The Money All In One Go, This Will Not Be Accepted And Kaffarah
Will Not Be Fulfilled.
-
• This Form Of Kaffarah Applies To The Following:
-
• Someone Who Intentionally Breaks A Fast
-
• Someone Who Breaks Zihar – This Refers To The One Who Considers His Wife Unlawful
(Haram) For Himself By Comparing Her To A Mahram (Someone He Cannot Get Married To)
-
• Someone Who Directly Causes Another's Death
-
• Lesser Kaffarah
-
• Someone Upon Whom It Is Necessary To Give "Lesser Kaffarah" Can Either Free A
Slave (Which Is No Longer Applicable), Feed Ten Poor People For Two Meals In One
Day, Or Give Each One Of Them Clothing. If One Is Unable To Do This, Then A Person
Should Fast For Three Consecutive Days.
-
• This Form Of Kaffarah Applies To The Following:
-
• Someone Who Breaks Or Violates An Oath (Yamin)
-
• Someone Who Takes On Oath To Not Have Conjugal Relations With His Wife And Then
Breaks This Oath (Ila')
4. Udhiyyah (Animal Sacrifice), Dam
And Badanah
-
• Udhiyyah Is Also Known As Qurbani Or Animal Sacrifice. This Is A Religious Requirement On
Eid Al-Adha And Is Wajib On Those Individuals Who Are Mature And Possess The Threshold
Amount.
-
• An Individual Can Sacrifice As Many Animals As He Or She Wishes However, The Bare Minimum
Is One Individual Share In A Small Animal Being Equivalent To A Single Share. The Slaughter
Must Be Carried Out After The Eid Prayers Therefore On The 10th, 11th Or 12th Of Dhul
Hijjah.
-
• Note - If Someone Fails To Fulfil The Sacrifice Within The Three Days It Will Still Be
Wajib For That Person To Donate The Value Of The Animal.
-
• Once The Udhiyyah Has Been Performed, The Meat Should Be Distributed Amongst The Poor
Muslims And One Can Also Take Some Of The Meat For Themselves And Their Family.
-
• Dam Is Of Two Types, One Is Called Dam Jabr (Compensation) And This Is Usually To Upkeep
With A Sunnah Or A Requirement However This Is Only Specific To Those People Who Are
Performing Hajj.
-
• The Cost Of A Dam Is Similar To The Price Of A Sheep - This Is A Mode Of Compensation For
Mistakes Made During Hajj. However, This Depends On The Severity Of The Mistake Made. For
Minor Mistakes Made, Fidyah Can Be Given. In Certain Circumstances Whereas For Major
Mistakes (Such As Sexual Communication), One Must Sacrifice A Small Animal As One Form Of A
Major Mistake Made.
-
• Badanah Is Similar To Dam, Where Dam Is The Sacrifice Of A Small Animal Or A Share Of A
Larger One, Badanah Is The Sacrifice Of A Larger Animal Entirely (A Cow Or Camel). This Is
The Most Severe Penalty For Mistakes To Hajj And Is Specific To Only 2 Actions:
-
• When One Performs Relations At Any Point Between Wuquf In Arafat And Before
Cutting The Hair Or Between Wuquf In Arafat And Tawaf Ziyarah During Hajj.
-
• When A Qarin (Someone Performing Hajj & Umrah – Combined Hajj And Umrah) Has
Sexual Relations After Tawaf Al-Umrah And Wuquf In Arafat, But Before Performing
Tawaf And Saee For Umrah - Please Note, One Badanah And One Dam Is Required In This
Instance.
-
• When One Performs Tawaf In A State Of Major Ritual Impurity I.E In Need Of Ghusl,
In A State Of Menstruation Or After Child Birth – In This Instance, The Penalty Will
Be Waived If The Tawaf Is Repeated And Performed In A State Of Ritual Purity. Even
After This Dhul Hijjah.
5. Nadhr
-
• When Someone Imposes Something Upon Oneself, This Becomes Necessary. For Example, If
Someone Wishes To Express Gratitude.
-
• The Action Can Be A Number Of Different Things And Can Also Be Sadaqah. If Someone Makes
An Oath Of Giving Charity, It Will Be Sadaqah Waajibah If They Are Unable To Fulfil Their
Oath, They Will Be Liable To Give Kaffarah As Outlined Above.
What Is Sadaqah Naafilah?
This Form Of Charity Is Not Compulsory But Rather It Is Optional. It Is Normally Given For The
Removal Of Difficulties, To Show Mercy On The Poor And Destitute Or The Giving Of Any Halal Item
To Another.
Note – One Is Also Allowed To Bequeath (Up To A Third Of A Deceased Person's Total Estate) In A
Will.
1. Lillah
-
• This Is Given For The Sake Of Allah And Can Also Be Used For Institutes Such As Mosques,
Hospitals, Orphanages, Schools And So On, For The Construction Of This Being Required By A
Community Or Any Person Or Individual.
2. Waqf
-
• This Is To Entrust Something To A Particular Cause. This Kind Of Donation Becomes The
Property Of Allah And Ownership Is Not Given To Any Individual Or Institute. A Person Can
Allocate Waqf Either During One's Own Lifetime Or Bequeathed In A Will (Up To A Third Of The
Total Estate). Waqf Requires The Care Of The Trustees, As With Any Trust, But As Explained,
Ownership Is Not Given To The Trustees But The Possession Of The Same Are Prescribed.
3. Aqeeqah
-
• This Is Normally Given As Gratitude To Allah Upon The Birth Of A Child. One Animal Is
Sacrificed For A Girl And Two Are Sacrificed For A Boy.
-
• A Person's Family Is Permitted To Take Part In The Meat However, It Is Better That It Be
Distributed To The Poor.
4. Sadaqah Given For Removing
Difficulties
-
• This Type Of Sadaqah Can Be Given As Lillah And Is Given In The Hope That Allah Will
Remove Difficulties That A Person May Be Facing.
5. Sadaqah Given For Expiating Sins
-
• This Type Of Sadaqah Can Also Be Given As Lillah And Is Given In The Hope That Allah Will
Forgive A Person's Shortcomings And Sins.
6. Charity Given Above The Amount Of
Zakat And Sadaqah Waajibah
-
• This Type Of Charity Is Similar To Lillah And If Given With A Pure Heart And Pure
Intentions, Is Always Accepted By Allah.
-
• The Qur'an Also Describes This Form Of Charity As A Beautiful Deed, As We Teach This Form
Of Charity As A Loan, Which He Will Repay In The Hereafter.
"
Who is the one that will loan Allah a beautiful loan? For (Allah) will increase it
manifold to his credit, and he will have (besides) a liberal reward.
"
(Qur'an, Surah al-Hadid, 57:11)
What Is Sadaqah Jaariyah?
This Is When Charity Is Given Towards Some Long Term Project Or Benefit, Such As A Water Well.
It Can Be Given On Behalf Of Any Person, Deceased Or Living, With The Hope Of Continuous Reward
For As Long As The Project Is Of Benefit To The Beneficiaries.
If You Have Any Further Questions, Or Would Like To Speak With Us Regarding Any Of The Above,
Please Feel Free To Either Contact Us Via Email Or Telephone And A Member Of Our Team Will Be
Happy To Assist You.
