🤲 The poor have a right
Qur'an 51:19 says that in the wealth of the believers there was a rightful share for the beggar and the person in need. So giving is not a favour. It hands over something the poor already have a right to.
Muslim Beliefs about Rights, Equality and Social Justice » Zakah and Sadaqah: Islam on Rich and Poor
What you'll learn this session
Study time: 30 minutes
Edexcel spec: Paper 1, 4.5 (Islam)
- Why Muslims believe the wealthy must support the poor
- How zakah works and who can receive it
- What sadaqah is and how it differs from zakah
- Examples of Muslim generosity, including charities and different views
🔒 Unlock Full Course Content
Sign up to access the complete lesson and track your progress!
Unlock This CourseWealth is held in trust
In Rich and Poor: Charity, Justice and Compassion you studied the gap between rich and poor and the ideals of charity, justice and compassion. Now we look at what Islam teaches. Muslims are people who follow Islam, and Allah is the Arabic name for God.
Islam gives a clear answer to why the rich should help the poor. Muslims believe everything belongs to Allah, so wealth is only held in trust. Qur'an 57:7 tells believers to spend from what Allah has made them trustees of. A rich person is more like a manager than an owner, and will answer to Allah for how the money was used.
Key terms:
- Nisab: the minimum amount of savings a Muslim must hold for a year before zakah is due.
- Riba: interest, meaning extra money charged for lending money. Islam forbids it.
- Zakat-ul-Fitr: a small gift of food or its value, given at the end of Ramadan.
- Sadaqah jariyah: ongoing charity, a gift that keeps on helping people.
- Khums: the one-fifth giving practised by Shi'a Muslims.
Teachings that push the wealthy to give
🏦 No hoarding
Qur'an 9:34 warns against people who store up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way. Muslims take this to mean that money should be used for good and not just piled up.
⚖️ No riba
Qur'an 2:275 says Allah has allowed trade but forbidden riba. Muslims believe charging interest can trap poor borrowers in debt and make the rich richer. Many Muslims use interest-free loans and banks that share profit instead.
💖 Compassion
Muslims believe Allah is merciful and that believers should copy this mercy. Caring for orphans, widows and the hungry is a sign of faith. This links to the ideals of charity, justice and compassion.
Zakah: the third pillar
Zakah is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the third pillar. Qur'an 2:43 often puts it next to prayer: "establish prayer and give zakah". Here is how it works.
- Muslims whose savings stay above the nisab for a year give 2.5 per cent of those savings.
- It is paid once a year. Many Muslims choose to pay it in Ramadan.
- The word zakah is linked to purifying. Muslims believe giving it cleans the rest of their wealth and also cleans the giver from greed.
Worked example
Amina has £10,000 in savings, above the nisab, and has held it for a whole year. Zakah is 2.5 per cent, which is 10,000 × 0.025 = £250. She gives £250 to people in need.
Qur'an 9:60 lists who can receive zakah, including the poor, the needy, people in debt, travellers who are stranded and people working to collect and share zakah. So zakah is aimed at real need. It helps the poor, and it also stops wealth staying only among the rich.
Sadaqah: voluntary giving
Sadaqah is any voluntary giving or kind act. Unlike zakah, there is no fixed amount, no yearly date and anyone can give, even someone with very little. A hadith (a recorded saying of the Prophet Muhammad) says that every good deed is sadaqah, so helping a neighbour carry shopping counts.
💰 Money or food
Giving to someone in need, or sharing a meal.
💧 Sadaqah jariyah
Ongoing charity such as digging a well, planting a tree or paying for a school. Muslims believe the reward keeps coming while people use it.
😊 Kind acts
Time, help and kind words are sadaqah too.
Qur'an 2:261 compares charity to a grain that grows seven ears, each with a hundred grains. This shows Muslims that Allah rewards giving many times over.
More ways Muslims give
- Zakat-ul-Fitr: given before the Eid prayer (the special prayer for Eid-ul-Fitr, the festival that ends Ramadan) at the end of Ramadan, so that poor families can enjoy the celebration too.
- Khums: Shi'a Muslims pay one fifth of certain surplus income. Part helps people in need and part supports religious work. Sunni Muslims do not practise khums in this way.
- Muslim charities: Islamic Relief began in the UK in 1984 and responds to disasters and poverty around the world. Muslim Aid is a UK-based charity founded in 1985 that also works on relief and development. Many Muslims pay their zakah through such charities.
- In the local community: mosques collect and share zakah, and many offer food to people in need in Ramadan.
Different views among Muslims
Muslims agree that zakah is compulsory, but they discuss the details. Some pay it directly to people they know, others give through the mosque or a large charity because it reaches more people. Some think zakah should help the local poor first, while others say it should go where need is greatest. Scholars also differ on how to work out the nisab and which goods count.
Common mistakes
- Saying zakah is voluntary. It is a duty. Sadaqah is the voluntary one.
- Saying zakah is 2.5 per cent of all income. It is of savings above the nisab held for a year.
- Saying Muslims give only because they must. Many also give out of compassion and love for Allah.
Exam-style question
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two teachings in this religion which encourage the wealthy to support the poor. [4 marks, AO1]
Model answer
Islam. Muslims believe wealth belongs to Allah and is only held in trust (1), so the rich must use it as Allah wants and will answer to him for how they used it (1). Zakah, the third pillar, requires Muslims to give 2.5 per cent of their savings each year (1), which helps the poor and purifies the giver's wealth (1).
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why charity is important in this religion. [6 marks, AO1 and AO2]
Model answer
In Islam, charity is important first because zakah is one of the Five Pillars, so paying it is a duty and part of being a Muslim. Second, Muslims believe wealth belongs to Allah and that the poor have a right to a share of it, so giving returns what is owed. Third, Muslims believe zakah purifies their wealth and removes greed, so it keeps them close to Allah. Fourth, sadaqah lets any Muslim show compassion, and Muslims believe Allah rewards generosity many times over. This means charity shapes daily life, for example through Zakat-ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan.
(d) "Giving to charity is the best way to deal with poverty." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks, AO1 and AO2]
Plan for the 12-mark answer
For: charity gives quick help, and Muslims see zakah as a duty that meets real need and the right of the poor. Against: charity may not fix causes of poverty such as unfair trade or debt, and some people say governments and fair wages do more. Non-religious people may agree that helping matters but prefer action by governments. Possible conclusion: charity is vital for urgent help, but with justice and fair systems it works better. Judge each side as you go and reach a clear decision.
Exam tip
In an Explain question, use the Muslim terms (zakah, nisab, sadaqah) and say why each matters to a believer, not just what it is.