Lesson video

Hello and welcome students once again, it's me Mr Latif teacher of RE and today in our learning, we'll be looking at the pillar of Zakah.

So really interesting and fascinating parts of the five pillars of faith.

Now today we'll be looking at what Zakah is, how's it distributed and also to learn who receives the Zakah.

So just a bit of a taste of today's lesson, we're really looking at the concept of charity and the purification of wealth.

So just to start off in a moment, I'll be asking you a couple of questions about charity and what you think about it.

Now before we get into our learning as always, please ensure that you have those five things, your exercise book or some writing paper, a black or blue pen, a different colour pen for any corrections, a curious brain and those attentive ears.

Now once you have those five things, let's get into our learning for today.

So welcome to our learning today on Zakah.

So today we're going to understand what Zakah is, how is it distributed, what the actual amount is and to learn who receive the Zakah as well.

So just a reminder of those five things that you need, please ensure that you have these five things ready, if you don't, this is a great opportunity for you to pause the video just to get them but if not, let's continue on.

So the first task I have for you here is a thinking task, I would like for you to spend two minutes to answer the following question, what are some good ways to prevent poverty in society? Now unfortunately poverty does exist and it will probably continue to exist but I would like for you to consider, what do you think are some good ways that we can actually prevent poverty occurring in society? So at this part of the video, could I please ask for you to pause it and I'll see you in two minutes.

So welcome back, what were some of your ideas in reference to how you think poverty could be prevented in society? So you may have had the following but actually we should educate people about poverty, maybe by doing so more people would have compassionate to the poor.

Maybe actually we should share our resources.

Maybe it's actually the building of shelters, to have food banks or to give charity.

So there may be a many different strategies that you considered in your answer.

Now this concept of charity it's really important.

We know ourself in England, we are a country where charities seem to be a very big thing.

In school you may have participated in charity before.

There may be like a charity week and maybe participating in a Mufti day where you can wear no school uniform and you're given a pound to raise money for a charity such as Comic Relief.

So let's see the importance, a significance of charity and how it links to the five pillars of Islam.

So Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam, the Zakah, many people believe is refers to or defines that 2.

5% of your savings.

It's not just that Zakah actually means that which purifies.

So just as a Wudu, what the actions that Muslims do before they pray, purifies the body.

Zakah actually purifies one's wealth and the aim of Zakah is to ensure the redistribution of wealth in society, to ensure that the gap doesn't continue to exist 'cause we have in society, don't we? A very small amount of individuals that may be a millionaires and billionaires and then the vast majority of individuals that aren't as wealthy and a big majority of poverty as well.

So the aim of Zakah is to redistribute that wealth in society and encourages and reminds Muslims, that the rights of the poor are really important, that the poor have rights over them as well.

So what is the Zakah? What we know is that which purifies but it is the giving of 2.

5% of your savings to charity and is given once a year.

Now many Muslims choose to give the Zakah in the month of Ramadan.

The reason for this is the month of Ramadan is a very Holy and special month.

Within this month, the good actions that one does, the tenfold and some nights, the reward that the person does is the reward of a hundred or more.

So in terms of the rewards that are done, Muslims are encouraged to you know, do many good actions within the month of Ramadan.

So many Muslims choose to give their Zakah to the poor during this month but this is really important, is 2.

5% of your savings not your earnings and then in the moment we look at what the certain amounts is for this, the required amount that is needed in someone's account.

So 2.

5 doesn't actually seem like a lot, does it? So later on in today's learning we can see that actually the impacts when the unity and the brotherhood, known as the Ummah come together collectively to give Zakah.

So it's seen as a compulsory act and this is really important.

It's an act of worship and it's an act of submission, like the other pillars of Islam, just how the testimony of faith is an act of submission of the act of worship just like how pray is as well.

And then we're look at next week or within this unit, parts of soul and Hajj and how the acts of submission and its act of worship as well.

So the Qur'an mentions Zakah in many different places.

So we can see it as a divine and direct order of Allah.

Allah reminds Muslims to be dutiful towards the poor.

So at this point of the lesson, I'd like for you to do the following, I like for you to answer this question, what is Zakah? Now for this class I'd like to give you five minutes.

So to help you and to remind you of some of the key things that we looked at, I have a Word Bank just here at the bottom, obligation, annualy, that which purifies, worship, 2.

5% savings, the purification of wealth and what I'd like for you to do is to write a paragraph for five minutes, to answer this question, what is Zakah? And why is it important for Muslims? So could I please ask at this point of the video that you pause it and I see you in five minutes.

Welcome back, how did you do? Let's go over our answers together.

So Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam and you should've had this definition.

Zakah means that which purifies.

It is an act of worship and submission to Allah, in which Muslims are reminded that wealth is a gift from Allah.

So this is really important within Islam that the wealth and the earnings that someone has is a reminder that it's a gift from God and Muslims are obliged to give 2.

5% of their savings once a year annually, to the poor and the needy and it is a compulsory action and must be done if you are able to do so.

So if you are someone who is a Muslim and you live in poverty yourself, you do not have to give Zakah.

You're probably going to be someone who receive the Zakah and we'll look at an example in a moment as well.

You may be a Muslim and you have no savings, you put a deposit down for a house then that year you have no savings, you're excused from giving Zakah.

We'll also look at the concept of Sadaqah at the end of the lesson, which is an action of voluntary charity and it's also seen as an act of worship as well.

So what I'd like for you to do now is the following, I would like for you in a moment to copy down these two columns with these verses from the Qur'an and I'd like for you to consider and to explore what do these verses tell us about Zakah.

So this first verse here, Allah said, "My punishment, I afflict with it whom I will, "but my mercy encompasses all things.

"So I will decree it my mercy, "especially for those who fear me and give Zakah "and those who believe in our verses," and the second verse from the Qur'an, "And if they repent, establish a prayer and give Zakah "then they are your brothers in religion "and we detail the verses for people who know." So for this task, I like to give you about 15 minutes.

I'd like for you to spend five minutes, just copying this down and then 10 minutes to explore what these verses are and to explain what these verses, tell us about Zakah.

So at this point of the video, can I please ask for you to pause and I see you in 15 minutes.

Welcome back, let's go over our answers here together.

So the first verse here, Allah said, "My punishment I afflict with it whom I will "but my mercy encompasses all things.

"So I will decree it my mercy, "especially for those who fear me and give Zakah "and those who believe in our verses." So for this verse here you should have had the following, Allah states that he was showing his mercy to those who give Zakah.

So this is really important for a Muslim 'cause in the after life and on the day of judgement , Muslims want to seek God's mercy.

They want to be forgiven for their sins.

They want God's mercy not God's punishment.

So this tells us actually the acts of Zakah and given that in this world, the Dunya is not only an act of submission that will support the Muslim in the hereafter.

Now the second verse here, "But if they repent, establish prayer and give Zakah, "then they are your brothers in religion "and we detail the verses for people who know." So this verse tells us actually that the giving of Zakah shows the brotherhood and a unity of Islam known as the Ummah.

So remember the idea in Islam with the concept of the Ummah is that all believers are equal regardless of their race, regardless of the language they speak, regardless of the amount of wealth they have, their status in society, they're all equal before God.

And this also shows or reminds Muslims as well to show respect and care for those that are poor but the poor actually have rights over them as well and it's important and significant to follow the way of Prophet Mohammed to remove this injustice of poverty and to show that the poor and needy are looked after.

So if there's any corrections that you need to make, please ensure that you just pause the video now, but if not let's continue.

So it's a really interesting verses there from the Qur'an and as always as I say, you can never go wrong with some good scripture in an RE lesson.

So now we've known and understood what Zakah is, in terms of it's definition but now let's look at how Zakah is given.

So Zakah is compulsory on those, if your savings meet a certain amounts and that amount is known as the Nisab amount.

So the Nisab amount equates to three ounces of gold or 21 ounces of silver.

Now many Muslims would refer to the three ounces of gold.

Now here are some statistics for you, as of July 2020, 'cause the gold price goes up and down daily, weekly, monthly and yearly, the gold price as of July 2020 for three ounces consists of 4,395 pounds and 36 pence.

the ounce price of Silver of 21 ounces is 376 pounds and 95 pences.

So this is how the amount is worked out.

If you have the Nisab amount with a minimum amounts you then give 2.

5% of whatever you have.

So let's look at an example, which hopefully enables you to understand what the Nisab amount is and who gives the Zakah, so this is example I have, I have Zain and I have Mariam.

Zain has 4,400 pounds in his savings, remember it's always your savings.

So this is over the Nisab amount 'cause as you remember, Nisab amount with three, 4,395 pounds.

So for this reason, Zain has to give his Zakah and he will donate 2.

5%.

So 2.

5% of 4,400 is 110 pounds.

Now Mariam, she has 4,300 pounds.

Now the 4,300 pounds is below the Nisab amount.

So she's actually excused from giving Zakah.

So this is how Muslims work out.

Now today in non Muslim countries such as the UK, many Muslims are able to work out the Nisab by using the sub calculators through Islamic charities such as Islamic Relief, Muslim Aid and so on.

And they're able to work out what amount they should be giving.

So what is Zakah given on? So it's given on your savings but if you have any gold, you have to give Zakah on that.

If you have any silver, you have to give Zakah on that, any livestock, if you're a farmer, any additional land, any additional property and shares and stock.

So these are seven things that you have to give Zakah on, not just your saving.

So for example, imagine I had a lot of gold yeah, well I don't, imagine I have a lot of gold I would have to give Zakah on that gold.

Imagine I was a farmer and I'm not and I had many cattle I'd have to give Zakah on that.

So it doesn't mean that I actually like give Zakah on the way I don't get, and maybe there're some Muslims or some farmers that are giving their Zakah.

they may give their livestock away, others may give actually the monetary value of that livestock so it can be distributed to poor in different ways.

So each individual is accountable for the Zakah.

So every Muslim is accountable for the zakah rather than one person per household.

So this is really important just out of worship.

Now if you're a child, you probably don't have any savings, yes so you're excused from doing so.

So it's when you are earning you're given your Zakah.

So, so far we learnt about the Nisab amount, the required amount and what Zakah is given on.

Now moving forward 2.

5%, was the amount given, so it doesn't seem like a lot, does it? 2.

5% seems like a really, really small amount but now let's look at the consequences and the impact of a small amount when it's done by large amounts of people.

So there are according to statistics, 1.

8 billion Muslims in the world.

Now for argument's sake, I've actually used a small amount here.

I'm only going to say 300 million.

So imagine 300 million out of 1.

8 billion Muslims have 4,400 pounds saved.

This means that each of them has to give 110 pounds, which is their Zakah.

So what would this actually equates to? Well this would actually equate to the following, 36 billion, 300 million pounds is given to charity and I'm only giving you the example of 300 million out of 1.

8 billion.

So you can probably think about this, the amount of money that is given to charity through Zakah is ridiculous, huge amounts of money yearly.

So you can see about the small amounts although is very small, the impact it has on society is huge.

Can you imagine 36 billion, 300 million given to one society, one country, the impact that would have on helping the poor and hopefully eradicating poverty.

So while it doesn't seem like a lot, we can really grasp how much it is.

Now for those that enjoy math, why don't you pause the video just a moment and why don't you work out the following, let's say there's 500 million and let's say actually for another there's 700 million and you know what, let's put one more in, let's say for another there's 1.

2 billion Muslims who all have 4,400 saved.

Let me know if you can work at that amount and at the end of the lesson, when you're able to share your work with your a parent or carer who allows you to do so, I love to see the amount, or charity that would be given from those three different populations that I gave you.

So who receives Zakah? So it's mentioned in the Qur'an here, "Zakah expenditures are only for those poor, "the needy, those employed to collect Zakah, "and for those bringing hearts together for Islam "and for freeing captives or slaves "or those in debts for the cause of Allah "and for the stranded traveller, "an obligation imposed by Allah "and Allah is knowing and wise." So what I'd like for you to do now is the following, In a moment, I'd like for you to pause the video and I like for you to bullet point as many examples that you can see from this verse of the Qur'an of who receives Zakah.

So for this task, I like to give you three minutes.

So reread the verse of the Qur'an just there and then bullet point who are the individuals that receive the zakah.

welcome back, how did you do? So you should have had the following, it's actually quite hard to understand certain parts, if you haven't come across this, in your learning so far, so you should have had those in debts those that give out the Zakah, the poor, those actually to convert to Islam, to free those in slavery, the stranded traveller with a worthy goal such as someone who's performing the Hajj or the minor pilgrimage, which is known as the Umrah and those who perform the Lesser Jihad and fight for Allah, so there are seven things there.

So Lesser Jihad and fighting for Allah is something that you may come across in your GCSE lessons and let me kind of explain it.

So Jihad as a concept and a term in Arabic means struggle.

Now Jihad is already, misunderstood concept.

You may have heard about it in the news itself.

So there's two forms of Jihad, there is a Greater Jihad and there's a Lesser Jihad and the prophet Mohammed peace be upon him said, "The Greater Jihad is more important than the Lesser jihad." So the Greater Jihad is a personal struggle.

It's a struggle of the soul.

So it's a spiritual struggle and that struggle could be, do you wake up to pray? Do you give the Zakah? Do you ensure that you do Dhikah? Do you give your rights to your parents? Do you give your rights to your spouse? So these are spiritual struggles that someone has in their life.

Now the Lesser Jihad is a community struggle and this is a community struggle we talk about the Ummah and this actually also is a physical struggle, the Lesser Jihad according to Muslims is a defensive struggle as well.

If a Muslim community or a community where they're facing injustices and they're being discriminated against, the Muslim community are able only when talks have, negotiations have occurred and broken down, they're able to defend themselves.

So not allowed to attack, this is really important in terms of Lesser Jihad.

So it's a physical Jihad, which is a community struggle to which Muslims can defend their faith and there's conditions for Lesser Jihad as well.

For example, you can't harm children, you can't harm women, you can't harm the elderly.

If someone surrenders, you have to accept them as they've surrendered.

You can't use excessive force, you can't harm them either and it has to be called by an authority.

It can't be called by anyone random in a Mosque or anything like that.

So hopefully that's something that you get to learn about later on in the course of your learning in RE, it's really interesting but here thinking about Zakah, those that perform the Lesser Jihad and fight for Allah, they can receive the Zakah as well.

So may be for example, this community are being persecuted by another community in another land and there may be that actually, they're going to fight and then perform the Lesser Jihad and they meet all the conditions but they may need for example, certain equipments to fight.

So the Zakah may in that example be used to establish and to support them in their fights.

The really important thing with Zakah today is the majority of Zakah given it's given to the poor and needy and I mentioned this before at the start of the lesson, the poor and needy have many rights and they're referred to it in the Qur'an, in the Hadith many times.

We have to remember as well, that Prophet Mohammed was an orphan.

He knew what poverty was like.

He didn't live a very lavish lifestyle.

He lived a very, very simple lifestyle.

He didn't have many possessions actually even when he died, and remember according to muslims, he's the greatest of human kindness ever walked the planet.

So in terms of his status is very, very high, in terms of his possessions he didn't have that much.

So actually it reminds Muslims, yeah, not to be greedy with their wealth, to remember that the wealth comes from God and that actually they should redistribute their wealth back to society.

So when is it given and how's it collected? So I mentioned this at the start of the lesson, many Muslims choose to give there Zakah during the month of Ramadan.

Now in non muslim countries like England, it's collected through charities such as Islamic Relief, Muslim Hands and Islamic Aid.

And they would ensure that that money is given to places which are the most needed.

And there's something you don't know actually, this is really interesting, Zakah is actually only given, do you know the criteria of the people that I mentioned to the Muslim community? It's only actually given to Muslims. Now in a second we'll actually look at Sadaqah, which is a voluntary charity, which is given to anyone.

So in Muslim countries, it's often collected through the Mosque or the through the state.

Most non Muslim countries through Islamic charities and many Muslim decide to give it during the month of Ramadan, because it's seen as a very, very blessed month I know these become tenfold.

So at this part of the video I like for you to do the following, how is Zakah distributed and who receives it? For this task I'd like to give you 15 minutes.

So to help you as always, I've got some key words there in the Word Bank who are converts, Nisab, annually, Ramadan, debt, poor and needy, charity, free those in slavery, stranded traveller, Lesser Jihad, amount, Qur'an, receivers.

We've got 13 different terms. So that's why I'm going to give you 15 minutes.

I want you to write a fantastic paragraph, on how Zakah is distributed and who receives it.

So at this part of the video, can I please ask you to pause it and I'll see you in 15 minutes.

So welcome back, let's see how we did.

So if you need to use different kinds of pens to make any corrections or amendments, please feel free to do so now as I go over the answer.

So Zakah is collected and distributed once a year and within non-Muslim countries such as England, it's done through charities, whilst in Muslim countries, it is done through the state or through the Mosque.

Zakah is distributed for those who meet the required Nisab amount, I really hope you've got that key term, Nisab which is the equivalent of three ounces of gold or 21 ounce of silver.

And if they meet this amount, then their Zakah is received by those who are in debt, distributors of Zakah, the poor and needy, converts, freeing those in slavery, stranded travellers and those who perform Lesser Jihad, and all of this is mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah nine, if you remember with your attentive ears in that curious brain.

Are there any corrections that you need to make, this is a great opportunity for you to now make any corrections, if not let's continue.

So I mentioned just before Sadaqah.

And Sadaqah mean voluntary charity.

Charity is very important within Islam and this voluntary charity can be given to anyone, anytime and any amounts.

So unlike Zakah which is a fixed amount given once a year, given to Muslims of the seven criteria, the Sadaqah can be given to any person, any amount, savings or earnings at any time and what this does and it encourages Muslims to do, is that to remind them actually that charity should be ongoing.

Charity shouldn't be just one thing that you do once a year, 'cause it's one of the five pillars of Islam and the really important thing about Sadaqah as well and actually Zakah is that it should be given secretly.

The reason for that is to remain humble and for the pure intentions.

So rather than making a big song and dance about it, look at me I gave a hundred thousand pounds this year or look at me, I gave 200 pound this year, et cetera, it should be done to remain humble and for the pure intentions, that you do as an act of worship, you're not doing it so to ensure that actually people are like, wow look at him or look at her, they are so charitable.

That's not the purpose behind charity in Islam.

So today in our learning from the following, in summary, we've learned that Zakah is a purification of one's wealth.

It's an obligatory act, which reminds Muslims that all their wealth is a blessing from Allah, it supports the poor and needy and it's given if you meet the required Nisab amount.

It's given once a year, is 2.

5% of your savings and encourages Muslims to give the rights to the poor and needy and to also redistribute wealth in society.

And on that note, it's time to say goodbye, as always you can share your work with Oak National, tagging @OakNational or Learn With Oak and it gives me Mr Latif an opportunity to see your fantastic work and I'll be really interested for those students that did the other three amounts to let me know what that equated to in terms of the amount of Zakah that will be given yearly.

So in summary Zakah is one of the five pillars of Islam.

It's an obligatory act and it reminds Muslims to redistribute their wealth in society to ensure that the poor and needy are looked after.

And on that note I will see you soon, take care, best wishes.