যাকাত পাওয়ার যোগ্য ব্যক্তিকে সর্বোচ্চ কতটুকু যাকাত দেওয়া যায়?

Question: How much money can a person receive in Zakat? For example, can a person get enough money to build a house if he has no house? Or is there a limit to how much a person can receive?

Answer:

This question is about the maximum amount payable to the one eligible for Zakat.

The answer to that is that there is no direct text in the Shariah that indicates the maximum amount of zakat that is due to those who are entitled to it, but from the verse of Zakat (Sadaqat) in which Allah (swt) says:

(إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ)

“Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise” [At-Tawba: 60].

It is possible to deduce (from this verse) the maximum amount that can be given to the person who is entitled to Zakat. This is because the Zakat recipients are mentioned in the verse with understandable descriptions indicating the reason for giving them Zakat, and this means that giving them Zakat is reasoned by their existing descriptions that make them entitled to Zakat. As long as the category for which Zakat is given is within the entitled description, then Zakat is given, but if the description is not matched then it is not given.

For example: the poor and the needy deserve zakat because of the description of poverty and being needy, so the maximum limit for what they are given from Zakat is what makes them needless for Zakat, i.e. to be given what enriches them so that they are not from those entitled to zakat, i.e. the payment of the zakat given to them remove from them the description of poverty and being needy. They may not be given more than that and this amount differs, of course, from one person to another and from one case to another.

For example, as for the collectors of Zakat (Al Amileen Alayha), they are given zakat because of their work, i.e. in exchange for their effort in collecting zakat, so the state can give them their wages according to the effort that they put in. If the state does not specify their wages, they will be given the reward of Al-Mithl (reward for effort) and not more, because Zakat is not a donation to them, but only in exchange for their efforts.

For example, Al Gharimoon (people with debt) are given zakat in a way that completely pays off their debt, and they are not given more than that because they are entitled to Zakat because of the debt. If this description changed and does not fit them, they are not entitled to Zakat.

Thus, this is relevant for all categories; they are given Zakat to remove the description they have that made them entitled to Zakat. If the description changes to which zakat is due, then they are no longer eligible for Zakat.

We have mentioned some of these meanings shown above in the book "Funds in the Khilafah State” in the chapter The Expenditure of Zakat, as follows:

1. The Poor (Al-Fuqaraa): These are those who don’t receive enough money to suffice them to fulfil their basic needs that are food, clothing and shelter. Whoever receives less than what he needs to fulfil his basic needs is considered poor, so Sadaqah is Halal for him. He may take from it and he can be given enough Sadaqah to the limit that removes his need and poverty. Allah has prohibited the rich from taking Sadaqah. Ahmad and people of Sunnan narrated, from Abdullah b. Amr, he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«لا تحل الصدقة لغنيّ، ولا لذي مِرَّةٍ سَوِيّ»

“Sadaqah is not Halal for the rich (person) nor the one of sound and strong body (Zu Mirra).” The Zu Mirra is the person of strength and acquiring ability. If he doesn’t have the strength and ability, then he is considered poor. The rich person is the one who is independent of others such that he receives more than is required to fulfil his needs. There have come Ahadith clarifying who the rich person is. Abdulllah b. Masud said: The Messenger of Allah said:

«ما من أحد يسأل مسألة، وهو عنها غني، إلاّ جاءت يوم القيامة كدوحاً، أو خدوشاً، أو خموشاً في وجهه. قيل: يا رسول الله، وما غناه، أو ما يغنيه؟ قال: خمسون درهماً، أو حسابها من الذهب»

“No person will ask for something while he is rich except he will come on the Day of Judgement with his face bitten, scratched or wounded.” It was said: “O Messenger of Allah, what is his richness?” He said: “50 Dirhams or its equivalent in gold” (narrated by the five). Whoever owns 50 silver Dirhams equal to 148.75 grams of silver, or its equivalent in gold, in excess of his food, clothing, shelter and the expenses of his family, children and servant is considered rich and it is not allowed for him to take from the Sadaqah.

2. The Paupers (Al-Masakeen): They are the ones who don’t have anything so the want abated them and they do not beg people. From Abu Hurairah (ra), the Messenger of Allah said:

«ليس المسكين الذي يطوف على النّاس، تَرُدُّه اللقمة واللقمتان، والتمرة والتمرتان، ولكن المسكين الذي لا يجد غنى يغنيه، ولا يفطن به فيتصدق عليه، ولا يقوم فيسأل النّاس»

“The pauper is not the one who goes about the people, content with a morsel or two or a date or two. The pauper is the one who doesn’t find any wealth to suffice him nor do people notice him so that they give him charity. Nor does he stand to beg people” (agreed upon). The pauper is lesser than the poor person due to the saying of Allah (swt):

(أَوْ مِسْكِيناً ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ)

“Or a pauper with dust” [Al-Balad: 16]

i.e. covered with dust due to his nakedness and hunger. The Sadaqah is allowed for the pauper and he can take from it. He can be given from Sadaqah to the limit that his misery is removed and he is enabled to satisfy his basic needs.