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Zakat – Almsgiving

Posted on 23rd April, 2021

(11) Zakat – Almsgiving

 

 

 

The practice of the Islamic faith rests on five “pillars”. These are:

  1. The profession of faith (shahâda);
  2. Ritual prayer (ṣalât)
  3. The alms tax (zakât)
  4. Fasting during Ramadan (ṣawm)
  5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (ḥajj)

It can be seen from this list that for Muslims almsgiving is an essential requirement. Zakât is, in fact, a tax of 2.5% levied on a Muslim’s net income, once all expenses have been deducted. The root meaning of the word is ‘purity’, so this leads to the understanding that if a Muslim has duly paid zakât, then he or she can enjoy the rest of his or her wealth with a clear conscience. A passage from the Qur’an illustrates this:

Goodness [or “piety”, “righteousness”] does not consist in turning your face towards East or West. The truly good [or “righteous”] are those who believe in God and the Last Day, in the angels, the Scripture, and the prophets; who give away some of their wealth, however much they cherish it, to their relatives, to orphans, the needy, travellers and beggars, and to liberate those in bondage; those who keep up [“perform”] the prayer and pay the prescribed alms tax; who keep pledges whenever they make them, who are steadfast in misfortune, adversity, and times of danger. These are the ones who are true, and it is they who are aware of God (Q 2:177).

 

At the end of Ramadan a Muslim is expected to pay a special tax, the zakât al-fir, the almsgiving of the breaking of the fast. This is a special donation for the poor which can be made either in kind or by a financial offering (in 2019 the Abdullah Quilliam Mosque indicated the amount to be given as five pounds per person).

 

Zakât can thus be seen as an expression of solidarity, and this overflows into the practice of free-will offerings (ṣadaqât).

 

           

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INTERRELIGIOUS DIALOGUE

The importance of Interreligious Dialogue

“Interreligious dialogue is a necessary condition for peace in the world, and so it is a duty for Christians as well as other religious communities” (Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium no.250)

This dialogue is part of the mission of the Church, together with the worship of God through prayer and liturgy, the witness of a Christian way of life, service to fellow human beings, proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel and instructing people in the faith.

What is dialogue?

Dialogue means “all positive and constructive interreligious relations with individuals and communities of other faiths which are directed at mutual understanding and enrichment, in obedience to truth and respect for freedom” (Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Dialogue and Proclamation no.9)

What is the aim of this dialogue?

The aim is threefold:

Imam Sayed Ali Abbas Razawi and Pope Francis meet.

 -   To live in peace and harmony with people of different religious traditions;

-    To work together for the benefit of all our brothers and sisters;

-    To help one another to respond sincerely and generously to God’s will for us.

To whom is this dialogue directed?

This dialogue “should be potentially universal, that is, all-embracing and capable of including all” (Pope Paul VI, Ecclesiam Suam, no.79).

Missionaries of Africa

“Our Society was founded in 1868 by Cardinal Lavigerie, Archbishop of Algiers. It is a Missionary Institute of Priests and Brothers living in community. Its aim is to proclaim the Gospel to the peoples of the African world. Because of its origins the Society has always had a particular interest in Muslims” (Constitutions art.1).

In Liverpool

Here in St. Vincent’s, we see our participation in interreligious dialogue as:

  • Establishing contact with local Muslim communities and communities of other faiths.
  • Cooperating with other bodies engaged in interreligious relations.
  • Participating in the work of interreligious committees (Fr Michael and Fr Terry are members of the Archdiocesan committee for Ecumenism, which covers also interreligious relations; Fr Michael attends the meetings of Faith Leaders).