Ramadan and Zakat

Language: 
English
Sent On: 
Thu, 2022-03-31
Year: 
2022
Newsletter Number: 
10

On Saturday April 2 Muslims around the world will start their Ramadan [Ramaḍān] fasting. We want to use the occasion of our newsletter to wish all our Muslim readers a blessed Ramadan.
 


Ramadan poster of Islamic Relief in The Netherlands on the wall of a restaurant in The Hague.
The text reads: Ramadan Action 2022. Who are you making happy this Ramadan? Donate now a Ramadan package.

 

All religions mandate what is good and warn against wrongdoing. Such religious encouragement to do good is millennia old. One sees this already in pharaonic days. This resulted in wisdom literature that later influenced Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Of course, doing good is also found in non-Abrahamic religions but these have different origins.

 

One way to do good in Islam is through paying zakat [zakāt], almsgiving, which one of the pillars of Islam. Zakat is an annual donation to charity that is required by Islamic law. The calculation for the amount of zakat is based on all disposable income, qualifying property, and other assets. Religious scholars, and today also websites, help people to make the calculation as to what is expected from them.

 

Most zakat donations are made during Ramadan since Muslims believe this will reap most rewards to them in the afterlife. Besides zakat there is also zakat al-fitr [zakat al-fiṭr] which needs to be paid during Ramadan by all adults with food in excess of their needs. 

 

Zakat is spent for those who are most needy. This can be a stranded traveler, someone in debt or bondage, the poor, friends of the Islamic community and zakat administrators – such as charities.

 

Our learning centre for refugees, with both Muslim and Christian students, is receiving daily lunches for our students. This can be counted as a zakat donation. It is also possible to donate to families who are insufficiently able to pay the costs associated to the education of their children. This includes a school fee of 5000 EgP (around 250 Euro) which some struggle to pay. Also needed are books and other facilities for our students. Many refugee students in our learning centre are truly struggling to get by. We would highly appreciate your contribution to them.

 

 

March 31, 2022

Cornelis Hulsman, Editor-in-Chief