The modern social system was introduced based on human thought to care for the poor and needy in the society, regardless of one's race and religion. The question here is, can Zakat and its fund offer similar safe guard for the poor and the destitute in today’s modern society, which is multi-racial-religion?
It is Divinely proven (al-Qur'an 9: 60) that, the Zakat is a compulsory tax, to be collected from those whose income and or property has reached to a certain amount in value. The issue here whether the Zakat fund allows to be distributed to care for a multi-racial-religion society?
The 'Ulama (Islamic jurists) have mixed views on the issue:
(i) Some of them are of the opinion that, Zakat is a compulsory tax collected from Muslims and it is therefore, should provide social security for Muslims only.
(ii) However, the majority of the 'Ulama are of the view that, Zakat is an Islamic institution, which provides social security not only for Muslim, but also for non-Muslim who are poor and needy, by complying the spirit of universal humanitarian value regardless of one's religion, color, gender or nationality. This view is indeed justified by the following evidences:
1. The words of Fuqara' and Masakin mentioned in verse 9:60 of the holy Qur'an are ‘Am (general) in nature, so as to include any ‘poor’ or ‘needy’ person be one Muslim or non-Muslim.
The view is indeed justified by an experience of the second Caliph of Islam, Sayyedana Umar (r.a.) that, once He saw a Jew begging from other people due to old age and financial constraint. He (r.a), upon witnessing such situation, recited the Holy verse which means:
“...... undoubtedly the Zakat is for the poor and the destitute.”
He (r.a.) then ruled out that, the recipient of Zakat must not necessarily be a Muslim only, but shall also be extended to non-Muslim.
2. In another occasion, the second Caliph (r.a.), saw some Christian lepers. He (r.a.) then with immidiate effect ordered that, they should be cared by Zakat fund.
3. During the period of Sayyedana Abu Bakar (r.a.) the first Caliph, Khalid ibn Walid (r.a) wrote in respect of the Christian inhabitants of al-Hira in Iraq, saying that:
"Any old man incapable of work or any one who has suffered from any calamity, or any person who was rich and suddenly became a poor asking for charity from his people, Jizyah must not be collected from him. He and his family, as the contrary, should be maintained through the Baitul Mal of Muslims".
4. The First and Second Caliph (r.a.) of Islam had also established an organization for social security, which functioned for the betterment of the needy, both Muslim and non-Muslim.
5. Imam Zufar (r.a.) ruled out that, the non-Muslim who are needy and poor should also be helped out of the Zakat fund, which may bring them closer to Muslim.
6. The Maliki and Zaidi Schools of Islamic Jurisprudence are also of the opinion that, the non-Muslim who are poor and needy should also be given the opportunity to share the benefits of the Zakat fund, so as to soften their hearts in order to become more friendly with and closer to Muslim.
7. Shaikh Shaft al-Din al-Nawawi also expressed that, it is a common obligation to help the needy and feed the hungry regardless of their religion.
8. Shaikh Shamsuddin Ramli, meanwhile, acknowledged that:
The non-Muslim are like Muslim when it comes to relieving them from their sufferings. It is essential for all Muslims to remove any harm coming to them. Apart from food or clothing of the needy non-Muslim, it is also Fardu Kifayah to help them in the treatment of their sickness and giving fees to the doctors, and buying medicine etc.
9. Prof. Abdur Rahman I. Doi accepts the view that, although the non-Muslim do not contribute to the Zakat fund they should be assisted by it. He went on to claim that, non-Muslim are indeed part and parcel of the Islamic State. Hence, it is the responsibility of the state to provide social security for all Muslim and non-Muslim alike.
Final Submission
All the above-mentioned justifications prove that, the institution of Zakat and its fund is able to provide a meaningful social security for all qualified humanity living in the society, by waiving the issue of one's color, race, gender, nationality and religion so long as one falls within the paradigm of needy and destitute, shall be cared out of Zakat, so to adhere with the universal humanitarian value in reality.
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