Thursday, 01 March 2018

Zakah: Almsgiving
Starter
Using the information from your research about the Night of Power,
answer the questions below:
• What particular event is remembered during the Night of Power?
• When (roughly) does the Night of Power take place?
• How do Muslims commemorate this Night? What do they do?
• Why do they believe it is important to remember this Night? What
benefits does remembering it bring?

Learning Objective: to understand how and why Zakah is given, and who benefits from it.
 The Night of Power
The Night of Power is an important festival that marks the beginning of God’s revelation to Muhammad.
The exact date this happened is not agreed on, but it is believed to be one of the odd-number dates in
the second half of Ramadan. It is normally remembered on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan.

The first verses of the Qur’an

that were revealed to
Muhammad on this night (96:1- This quote shows that observing the
5) describe how the angel Jibril Night of Power gives Muslims the
instructed him to start reading: benefits of worshipping for a thousand
months. Due to this, Muslims try to keep
awake throughout thee night on at least
one of the possible dates, devoting
themselves to prayers and studying the
Qur’an.
Thursday, 01 March 2018

Zakah: almsgiving
to understand how and why Zakah is given, and who benefits from it.

I can clearly
I can explain
I can describe explain why the
how and why
the origins of Shi’a practice of
Zakah is given.
Zakah. Khums.
Zakah: purification of wealth, by giving 2.5% of savings
each year to the poor.

Sadaqah: good actions or voluntary payments that are

undertaken for charitable reasons.

Khums: a 20% tax paid by Shi’a Muslims on their excess

income.
 Zakah: almsgiving
Explain what Zakah is and how it is calculated. Now you have learnt about how
Lesson Launch Muslims donate their money
How would you distribute £500 to charity , create another
pie chart, saying how if
between the following you were a Muslim
responsible for
categories: What do you think the obligation to give Zakah distributing Zakah,
teaches Muslims? you would allocate
• Parents £500 to the
different uses to
• Siblings which it might be put:
• Parents
• Friends • Siblings
How does Sadaqah differ to Zakah? • Friends
• Clothes
• Clothes
• Leisure • Leisure
• charity
• charity

Challenge: Explain why you have distributed the money in the way you have
chosen.
Should Shi’a Muslims in the UK be expected to give Khums as well as Challenge: Explain why someone may disagree
paying UK taxes? Give reasons for your point of view. with your view.

List the different reasons why Zakah is significant

Learning Objective: to understand how and why Zakah is given, and who benefits from it.
 How would you distribute £500 between the
following categories:
• Spending money on parents
• Spending money on siblings
• Spending money on friends
• Clothes
• Leisure (going out, food, transport…)
• Giving to charity

Challenge: Explain why you have distributed the

money in the way you have chosen.
 What is Zakah?
For Muslims who have enough savings, it is compulsory to give 2.5% of those
savings every year to help the poor. Many Muslims will work out how much they
owe and give the money at the end of Ramadan.

By giving Zakah, Muslims are acknowledging that

everything they own comes from God and belongs to
him, and that they should use their wealth to
remember God and give to those in need. It frees
people from desire, and teaches self-discipline and
honesty.

Zakah literally means to purify or
cleanse. Muslims believe that giving
Zakah helps to purify the soul, removing
selfishness and greed.
“They ask you what they should give. Say, ‘Whatever you
give should be for parents, close relatives, orphans, the
needy and travellers. God is well aware of whatever good
you do.’”
Qur’an 2:215
 How is Zakah given and who receives it?
Only Muslims with savings greater than a certain figure (known as nisab) are required to give
Zakah. The nisab is either worked out as the value of 87 grams of gold, which is around £2200, or
612 grams of silver, which is around £200. Muslims can choose which figure they use and
therefore how much they pay.

For example: Zakah can be donated directly to a

A Muslim with savings of £1000 would not be
charity or can be put into a collection
required to give Zakah if they were using the gold
nisab, whereas a Muslim with savings £4000 would box in the mosque to be distributed
pay £100. among the poor.
“Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy,
In addition to giving Zakah,
those who administer them, those whose hearts
Muslims are encouraged to
need winning over, to free slaves and help those
voluntarily give their money and
in debt, for God’s cause, and for travellers in
time to charity at any point of the need.”
year. This is called Sadaqah. Qur’an 9:60
 The significance of Zakah
• In giving Zakah, Muslims are fulfilling a duty imposed by
God. The Qur’an makes it clear that giving Zakah is a sign
of a true Muslim.
• Paying Zakah gives Muslims a good attitude towards
money. They learn to share it and not be greedy with it.
• Zakah strengthens communities by making the rich
support the poor.
• Zakah links well with Salah. Prayers should make
Muslims feel concern for others, and Zakah puts this
concern into action.
 Shi’a Islam: Khums
Khums is an important part of Muslim practice in Shi’a Islam in addition
to giving Zakah. It literally means ‘fifth’.
Originally it referred to a requirement for Muslims to
donate 20% of the spoils of war to the leader
representing the state of Islam.

Today, it refers to the excess income or

earnings that a Shi’a Muslim makes, and is
still set at 20%. Half of the money collected
as Khums goes to Shi’a religious leaders, to
be spent on behalf of God on the things
considered necessary for religious matters,
while the rest is given to charity or the poor.
Tasks
1. Complete the information boxes on your worksheet. Use p40-41 of the
green books if you missed anything.
2. Now complete the pie chart again, explaining how and why this looks
different from the first one you drew.

Extension:
• Have a go at this 12 mark examples question:
Giving Zakah is not an effective way for Muslims to
show their devotion to God.
• Use FREAREY to bullet point a top level answer to this question, using
teachings from the Qur’an to support points about Muslim beliefs.