Zakaah

Zakaah is one of the pillars of Islaam.  Allah says:
They were enjoined only to worship Allah,... and to establish the Salaat and the Zakaah,  Such is the upright religion.' [98:5]

'Let not those who are miserly with what Allah has given them of His bounty think that this is good for them.  Rather, it is bad for them.  That which they withhold shall be hung around their necks on the Day of Arising.'    [3:180]

The prophet (saw) said, "Whoever is given wealth by Allah and does not pat the Zakaah due upon it shall find that on the Day of Arising it is made to appear to him as a hairless snake with two black specks, which chains him, and then seizes him by his jaw and says, 'I am your wealth! I am your treasure!"

he then recited:

'Those who lay up treasure of gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah; give them the news of a painful punishment, on the Day when that [wealth] will be heated in Hellfire, and their foreheads, sides and backs branded with it: "This is the treasure which you laid up for yourselves! Taste, then, your hoarded treaure!"    [9:34-35]    [Bukhaaree]

Zakaah is paid on surplus wealth that is left over after the passing of a year.  it is a payment on the accumulated wealth. Leaving aside animals and agricultural yield, Zakaah is paid at almost a uniform rate of 2 1/2%.

Paying Zakaah purifies the heart of the love of material wealth. The man who spends offers that as a humble gift before his lord and thus affirms the truth that nothing is dearer to him in life than the love of Allah and that he is fully prepared to scarifies everything for His sake.

Acquisition of wealth for its own sake or so that it may increase the worth of its collector is condemned. Mere accumulation of wealth counts as nothing in the sight of Allah and has no benefit , in this world or the next.

How many Muslims in the world today sincerely pay Zakaah to purify their wealth and to help their Muslim brethren.  Since we are missing, lacking or very weak in that foundation, is it any surprise that:

So many Muslims are starving and in need today?
So much Muslim wealth is wasted on luxury?
So much Muslim wealth is spent on forbidden items?
So little Muslim wealth is spent on sacrificing for the sake of Allah?

The prophet (saw) was ordered to fight the people until they made the Shahaadah, established prayer and paid Zakaah. Abu Bakr (ra) continued this after him.  What does that men for us today? If they were alive today, would we be fighting along side them or would be from those whom they would be fighting?

Let us make sure that we pay the Zakaah and fulfill all of the other pillars of Islam correctly and sincerely for Allah's sake, so that our Islaam as a whole will be strong and Allah will be pleased with us.