(CONCLUSION)

THE purpose of zakaat in a society is for the purification of saved wealth, spiritual growth due to the charity and the well-being of the in society.

The types of wealth on which zakaat must be paid are monetary wealth, crops, and livestock.

Monetary wealth is gold and silver, in whatever form they take, and trade goods.

Crops are argricultural produce which can be stored for extended periods, and livestock are goat, sheep, cattle, and camels.

Zakaat becomes a legal obligation once an individual has in his possession the required amount which makes the payment of zakaat necessary.

However, there are certain conditions which make zakaat obligatory and others that make it valid.

The five conditions which make zakaat obligatory: (1) Islam (being Muslim); non-Muslims do not pay.

(2) Freedom; prisoners and slaves do not pay zakaat.

(3) Legal minimum (Nisab).

(4) Ownership.

(5) Being in one’s possession for a year; this is for monetary wealth and livestock not agricultural produce.

The five conditions which make zakaat valid: (1) Intention, because zakaat is an act of worship requiring intent.

(2) Collection; zakaat is paid to a collector appointed by the leader of the community (Jamaat).

(3) Local distribution; zakaat is distributed among the community where it is collected unless not possible because none of the eight categories of people to whom it is given exists; then it may be sent elsewhere.

(4) Correct time: zakaat is paid at the time it is due, not before. (5) Correct elements: zakaat is paid with the correct means, age and kind of animal, quality of agricultural produce and right weight of gold and silver.

As for zakaat on livestock: No zakaat on horses, unless they are kept or bred for trade.

Zakaat is due on five camels, between that and 25, a certain number of sheep or goat is paid, after 25, paid in camels of a certain age and sex.

Cattle: zakaat is due on 30, after that, paid in cows of particular ages.

Sheep and goats: zakaat of one animal of a certain age is due on 40. In joint ownership of two or more, zakaat is shared between each partner, according to the amount owned by each of the whole flock or herd.

Zakaat on agricultural produce: there is no zakaat on fresh fruit and vegetables.

And the legal minimum (Nisab) on which zakaat is due for all types of agricultural produce is five wasqs, which is equivalent to 610 litres by volume, which is also expressed as 610 kgs, because the same volume of different kinds of produce varies in weight.

If the land is irrigated naturally then one-tenth of any crop which reaches the legal minimum is taken as zakaat.

When irrigated artficially, the zakaat is one-twentieth of the crop.

As for cereals, zakaat is on the actual amount of grain harvested after threshing.

Wheat, barley and rye are added up together and if they reached the specific amount, zakaat is paid proportionally from each type.

Rice, sorghum, millet and maize are not combined, but paid separately when they reach the required amount.

Pulses, like lentils, chick-peas and various kinds of beans are also combined and paid out proportionally.

As for olives and seeds grown for their oil, they are not combined and when they individually reach the required amount on which zakaat is due, then it is paid in oil after pressing.

As for monetary wealth, the amount on which zakaat is due is 593 grammes (20.92 ounces) of silver and in terms of gold, 84.7 grammes (2.99 ounces) over which a year has passed.

Out of necessity, the equivalent in paper money is assessed and two and a half per cent is taken in zakaat.

Zakaat on trade goods manufactured, purchased or acquired for resale are two types; goods for future resale must stay in the possession of the purchaser for a year before resale.

Then if the total value of such goods reaches the minimum requirement in value of 593 grammes of silver or 84.7 grammes of gold, then its amount in paper money is assessed and two and a half per cent is paid as zakaat.

The second type is trade goods subject to constant turnover, such as stocks of a shop, store or a market stall, or any other type of trading or manufacturing business.

Zakaat is assessed on the basis of a regular annual valuation on a specific date of the stock and liquid capital in hand, then a valuation is made based on current market prices of goods concerned. If stock and accumulated capital combined amount to the required amount on which zakaat is paid, then two and a half per cent is paid as zakaat.

Zakaat on debt is of two types: that which you owe others and that which is owed to you.

Money owed to others is subtracted from the amount of monetary wealth in your possession before your zakaat is assessed.

If the amount is reduced to less than that on which zakaat becomes obligatory then no zakaat is paid.

But if you have disposable assets, which are not liable to zakaat and which could be sold to pay off all or some of what is owed, then your debt is considered to have been reduced by the combined market value of those assests, which make zakaat due if it reaches the minimum requirement.

If a debt is owed to you, reaching the required amount on which zakaat is due is outstanding for a year, you owe zakaat on it which you must pay, as soon as it paid to you.

Zakaat on business investment is of two types: that which is intended to produce profit through resale and that which is to provide income. So if you invest in a company that buys and sells property, then that whole property portfolio is considered as turnover stock which is valued annually and zakaat is paid on the total value, once it reaches the minimum requirement (Nisab).

And if you have a company that produces income by letting out properties you own, then you pay zakaat on the price you receive, if and when you sell a house.

The basic principles is that zakaat is due on goods and property acquired for resale.

So no zakaat is owed on personal property such as a house, furniture, household goods, transport and land used by family not intended for trading.

Also, gold and silver jewellery (there is disagreement between the legal schools on this issue) regularly worn and not for trade.

The same applies for tools by which you earn a living, buildings and plants used for business. However, the value of disposable personal assets which can be sold to pay debts is set against outstanding debt when zakaat is assessed.

The recipients of zakaat are eight, according to the Qur’an, (9) Tawbah:60, and they are; the poor, the destitute, those appointed to collect, those who hearts are to be reconciled (new Muslims etc), to free the captives, for those in debt, those in the way of Allah (soldiers) and the traveller.

There is another zakaat called Zakaat al Fitr, a sort of “poll tax” on the individual in which there is no required amount which necessitates payment.

It is due at the end of the month of fasting, Ramadhan.

A man pays for all those he is responsible for; someone who lives alone pays for himself or herself.

The amount is one Sa’a, which is equal to two litres of the staple food of a nation or its equivalent price in paper money, given to the poor.

Unlike zakaat, Zakaat al Fitr can be distributed individually and need not be centrally collected.

This is a cursory view of Zakaat because it is complex, with the endless anomalies and exceptions which arise in people’s individual situations, which is a compelling reason why it is indispensable to have trained appointed officials as zakaat assessors and collectors with a thorough knowledge of all the laws of zakaat and experience with the difficult and varied financial circumstances which people face in today’s world.

There is a need for a National Body for the Collection and Distribution of Zakaat (NBCDZ) to which all jamaats should be signatories, but this can only be done after a National Council of Leaders (NCL) is established and made up of Imams, Amirs, Maulanas, Shaykhs and Muftis from amongst whom a rotating leader is choosen. This is the necessary next step and challenge for the Islamic community in Trinidad and Tobago, because the collection of zakaat is linked to political leadership of the Muslims.

Lastly, in the Islamic world today, there is a political, economical and intellectual movement which adovocates a return to a bi-metal currency, which they consider as a necessary and legal element for the payment of zakaat.

That is for another time, God-willing!