[نسيم الفجر]

Zakaah: Worth Its Weight In Gold

It is that time of the year again. Ramadan has begun to signal it's imminent arrival. For most, that might imply a dread of fasting longer, hotter days. For others, it might mean saving more to stock up their freezers. For some lucky people, it might indicate the time to start making travel arrangements for performing umrah or itikaaf in Islam's holy sites in Saudi Arabia. For most, however, including me, it implies preparing for project "Yearly Zakaah: Calculation and Discharge".

The basic reasons why most Muslims discharge their yearly Zakaah during Ramadan are:

• It gains more rewards - multiplied by 70 times, at the very least. That is why it can be given in advance, during Ramadan. It is imperative, on the other hand, that if it has become due before Ramadan, it should be given at once, and not delayed in the hope for more reward.
• It is easier to keep track of Zakaah if one has the habit of discharging it in a prominent Muslim month, i.e. the latter's arrival provides a convenient reminder to start planning how much and where, to pay off one's Zakaah.
• It is the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] to become extra generous during this month, akin to a wind that brings much gain i.e. fruit/agricultural produce: Narrated Ibn Abbas [may Allah be pleased with him] who said: “The Prophet [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] was the most generous of people, and he was even more generous during Ramadan when Jibreel met him. Jibreel used to meet him every night in Ramadan until it was over and the Prophet would go through the Qur’an with him. The Messenger of Allah was more generous with good things than the blowing wind (which brings rain and welfare).” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]

In the current scenario, when the economic crisis and global "credit crunch" has left many Muslims struggling financially, and like other people all over the world, striving to hold on to their jobs, save and scrimp any extra money they possibly can, look for alternative modes of earning and sources of income, and to spend very cautiously, generating enough liquidity to pay off one's Zakaah becomes an added concern. All extravagant expenditures have started to be curtailed, or so we like to think, in such a scenario.

So the problem with giving Zakaah this coming Ramadan is, to a great extent, the challenge of generating enough extra cash to be able to pay off the due on our assets. People who nowadays own lavish homes, individual cars for members of the household, electricity-bill-thumping appliances such as washers, driers, air conditioners, microwave ovens, dishwashers, hair-irons, kettles, coffee-makers and heaters, and have their children enrolled in expensive private schools are, to put it mildly, in a fix. They can no longer afford their lavish lifestyle yet find it difficult to step down a few rungs on their social ladder in order to curtail their extravagant expenditure.

The simple solution to this problem lies as much with the Muslim women of the family as much as the men. Please let me explain: I have been teaching a short subject, "The Book of Zakaah", based on the book "Kitab Al-Zakah" by Iqbal Kaylani, to adult women at Al-Huda International for several years, and each time I cover the subject, I am surprised and equally disappointed, to be asked the same questions over and over by them. One of the most oft-recurring question is,

"How do we pay the Zakaah on our gold jewelry when we do not earn money?"

Most women innocently assume that they are absolved from paying Zakaah on their gold because of this reason, or that it is primarily and completely their husbands' responsibility, and not their concern at all. They assert that the husband should, therefore, always pay the Zakaah on their gold. Other women come up with certain ahadith as 'proof' that Zakaah is not to be paid on gold that is in regular use by them i.e. that which they wear. Others still, come up with other 'ahadith' claiming that Zakaah is not due on gold at all. Others, still, - the rarer lot - suggest that women should save money from their household budget each month to pay off the yearly Zakaah on their gold. Not one - I repeat - not one woman student have I come across to this day, who would give the suggestion that women sell off some of their gold jewelry to generate the required amount of Zakaah on it.

Has your jaw dropped? Are you stunned? If so, why, may I ask? Sadly, this is the reaction of most Muslim women when I suggest this solution. However, I do not understand this reaction at all. Why is the idea of selling gold to generate money for sadaqah in the way of Allah so shocking or unthinkable?

Is it not what Allah has ordained?

لَن تَنَالُواْ الْبِرَّ حَتَّى تُنفِقُواْ مِمَّا تُحِبُّونَ

"By no means shall you attain righteousness unless you give (freely) of that which you love." [3: 92]

Was it not the suggestion of our Prophet Muhammad [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] directed specifically at Muslim women, to give a lot of sadaqah/charity from their ornaments?

arrated Ibn Abbas: "I am a witness that Allah's Apostle offered the 'Eid prayer before delivering the sermon, and then he thought that the women would not be able to hear him (because of the distance), so he went to them along with Bilal, who was spreading his garment. The Prophet advised and ordered them to give in charity. So the women started giving their ornaments (in charity)." (The sub-narrator Ayub pointed towards his ears and neck meaning, that they gave ornaments from those places, such as ear-rings and necklaces.)

Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 2, Book 24, No. 529

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri: "On 'Eid Al-Fitr or 'Eid Al-Adha, Allah's Apostle (PBUH)went out to the Musallah. After finishing the prayer, he delivered the sermon and ordered the people to give alms. He said, "O people! Give alms." Then he went towards the women and said. "O women! Give alms, for I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-Fire were you (women)." The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the reason for it?" He replied, "O women! You curse frequently, and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. O women, some of you can lead a cautious wise man astray." Then he left. And when he reached his house, Zainab, the wife of Ibn Masud, came and asked permission to enter. It was said, "O Allah's Apostle! It is Zainab." He asked, 'Which Zainab?" The reply was that she was the wife of Ibn Masud. He said, "Yes, allow her to enter." And she was admitted. Then she said, "O Prophet of Allah! Today you ordered people to give alms and I had an ornament and intended to give it as alms, but Ibn Masud said that he and his children deserved it more than anybody else." The Prophet replied, "Ibn Masud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else."

[Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 2, Book 24, No. 541]

Narrated 'Amr bin Al-Harith: "Zainab, the wife of 'Abdullah said, "I was in the Mosque and saw the Prophet (PBUH)saying

تَصَدَّقنَ وَ لَو مِن حِّليِّكُنَّ
"O women! Give alms, even from your ornaments."

...Zainab used to provide for 'Abdullah and those orphans who were under her protection. So she said to 'Abdullah, "Will you ask Allah's Apostle whether it will be sufficient for me to spend part of the Zakaah on you and the orphans who are under my protection?" He replied "Will you yourself ask Allah's Apostle?" (Zainab added): So I went to the Prophet and I saw there an Ansari woman who was standing at the door (of the Prophet) with a similar problem as mine. Bilal passed by us and we asked him, 'Ask the Prophet whether it is permissible for me to spend (the Zakaah) on my husband and the orphans under my protection.' And we requested Bilal not to inform the Prophet about us. So Bilal went inside and asked the Prophet (PBUH) regarding our problem. The Prophet asked, "Who are those two?" Bilal replied that she was Zainab. The Prophet said, "Which Zainab?" Bilal said, "The wife of 'Adullah (bin Masud)." The Prophet said, "Yes, (it is sufficient for her) and she will receive a double reward (for that): One for helping relatives, and the other for giving Zakaah."

[Sahih Al-Bukhari Volume 2, Book 24, No. 545]

The ahadith above give clear proof of that fact that women should donate their ornaments in charity, and particularly if their husbands are in need. In fact, women may give Zakaah, the obligatory charity, to their husbands first, if the latter are deserving of it.

Was it not the way of our mothers and aslaaf (pious predecessors) to give away gold or silver in sadaqah?

When our mother, Umm Habibah [may Allah be pleased with her], received the glad tidings of Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) marriage proposal for her in Abyssinia, she gave the ornaments she was wearing, then and there, to the slave-girl who had brought her this good news.

Then why do we Muslim women feel so reluctant to convert our gold ornaments to liquid cash in order to discharge an obligation of Islam that is one of its most fundamental pillars?

Simple answer: We love gold. Oh boy, do we love it! We love to wear it, flaunt it, and store it for our sons' and daughters' marriages. We pass down cherished heirlooms in order to maintain familial traditions. The more antique the jewelry is, the more we hold it close to our hearts.

Most women are in the habit of gradually collecting ornaments over the years. The reason why jewelers' shops do roaring business worldwide is the symbol of this attachment of the female hearts to anything that twinkles, shines and is worth millions. I admit I was very surprised on visiting Madinah for the first time, to see that even the majority of shops outside Masjid-e-Nabawi were those selling gold jewelry.

So how can Muslim women help their husbands and/or brothers and sons out this year, in paying off their Zakaah?

Simply, convert some of your trinkets and/or rings, bangles, bracelets or earrings to liquid cash, and use that cash to give off Zakaah. I wouldn't be preaching this had I not done it myself. I can promise you that you'll feel tremendous closeness to Allah and serene joy of faith as a result, as long as you do not brag about your sadaqah to anyone; that is, you do not waste what you've done.

I also happen to know of other women who have similarly donated their jewelry, wedding clothes or other precious possessions; they do not, in any way, feel guilty or regretful for having done so. Life is short; so many chances of doing sadaqah pass us by, yet we continue to hold on to our clothes and jewelry as if they'll stay with us forever. Wake up, O Muslimah! Remember that your permanent abode is the Hereafter, with the only permanent joys and blessings being those given to the dwellers of Paradise; therefore, strive to attain that long-lasting abode by letting go of just a wee bit of the things you love in this passing, worldly life, and then taste the sweetness of faith, and the high levels of taqwa that Allah will bless you with, as a consequence.

Evidence that Muslim women are permitted to wear gold

Details of the difference of opinion regarding zakaah on gold and silver intended for use

Zakaah has to be paid on gold inherited, by its owner