We give children hope
We give children hope
Zakat (zakaat, zakah), or almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam. This means that zakat is obligatory for Muslims, just like the other four sacred pillars of Islam. Every adult Muslim who has savings, capital, or other forms of accumulated wealth above a certain amount—known as nisab—must pay 2.5% of that wealth as zakat.
Eligible Muslims pay zakat once a year, and the payment deadline expires after one lunar (Islamic) year from reaching or exceeding nisab (a specified amount of wealth). Each Muslim's zakat is then distributed among those who meet the criteria for receiving it.
"...and those whose wealth is a recognized right
for those in need and without means of support."
(Qur’an | Surah Al-Ma'arij | 70:24-5)
Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must possess in order to be subject to the obligation to pay zakat. If he possesses this amount for one Hijri year (Islamic lunar year), zakat becomes due. This amount is often referred to as the nisab threshold.
It is calculated based on the value of gold or silver. Nisab is equal to the value of 87,48 grams gold or 612,36 grams silver.
Zakat is not only one of the fundamental pillars of Islam, but also a revolutionary concept that can put an end to extreme poverty – such is the power of zakat!
"Pray and give alms! And whatever good you prepare
first for yourselves, you will find it in God.
Verily, God sees clearly what you do!
Qur’an | Surah Al-Baqarah | 2:110
It is also a right that the poor have over us, as mentioned in the Qur'an: "To which property does the supplicant and the poor have a specific right"[Qu'ran | Surah Al-Ma'arij | 70:24-25]
Imagine if just the ten richest people in the world paid 2.5 per cent of their eligible wealth – that would be a staggering £8 billion! The power of that money to fight poverty would be enormous.
The donation should amount to 2.5% of the total value of assets subject to zakat. So if the total value of your assets (after deducting any liabilities) is PLN 10,000, you should pay PLN 250 in zakat tax. We will soon be launching our free and easy-to-use calculator so that you can calculate the amount of zakat you owe yourself.
There are two types of zakat.
Zakat Al-Mal, which can be translated as "zakat on wealth" and is commonly referred to as zakat. It refers to a pillar of Islam, according to which every sane, adult Muslim who possesses wealth above a certain amount – known as nisab – must pay 2.5% of that wealth.
Fitrana or Zakat al-Fitr is a donation of food that must be given before the Eid prayer, before the end of Ramadan, out of love for Allah.
Fitrana is a donation, often in the form of food, given before the Eid prayer, and therefore must be given before the end of Ramadan. Fitrana must be given by every self-sufficient Muslim who has food in excess of his needs, on behalf of himself and his dependents.
Fitrana (Zakat al-Fitr) differs from Zakat (Zakat al-Mal) in that it is not dependent on income or savings. It is a fixed amount paid for each person at the end of Ramadan.
In the Hanafi madhhab (school of thought), it is due from anyone who possesses wealth above the nisab, while other madhhabs require that a person have a surplus above their basic needs. The amount is determined annually based on the cost of basic food items (for example, PLN 20 per person, which we have set at the A & A Rainbow Hearts Around The World Foundation in consultation with our Advisory Council of Imams).
Zakat, on the other hand, is calculated as 2.5% of eligible assets.
Fitrana (zakat al-fitr) is payable by every person in the household. In the Hanafi madhhab, the head of the household is responsible for paying it on behalf of children and dependents who are unable to pay it themselves. In the Maliki, Shafi‘i and Hanbali madhhabs, each person is personally responsible for their own fitran, although a parent or guardian may pay it on their behalf with their consent.
Zakat jest jednak wymagany tylko od osób, które osobiście posiadają majątek powyżej minimalnej kwoty, znanej jako nisab.
Fitrana must be paid during the month of Ramadan. It can be paid at the latest before the start of Eid prayers so that those in need can benefit from it before Eid. However, annual zakat can be paid at any time during the year.
The person must be a Muslim.
It is one of the five pillars of Islam, a fundamental principle of the religion, and failure to pay zakat, if one is obliged to do so, has serious consequences. In addition to punishment in the hereafter, failure to pay zakat can also lead to the loss of barakah (blessings) in terms of wealth and life.
The severity of punishment for non-payment of zakat is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur'an and hadiths. For example:
"O you who believe! Verily, many of the rabbis and monks devour the wealth of men unjustly and turn them away from the path of God. And those who hoard gold and silver and do not spend it in the way of God, proclaim unto them a painful punishment. On the Day when these metals will be heated in the fire of Hell and branded on their foreheads, sides and backs: "This is what you have gathered for yourselves. So taste what you have gathered!". [Koran | 9:34-35]
"Whoever has been blessed with wealth by Allah and does not pay zakat on his wealth, on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be transformed into a bald, venomous male snake with two black spots above its eyes. The snake will wrap itself around his neck, bite his cheeks and say, 'I am your wealth, I am your treasure.'". [Hadis | Bukhari]
Zakat is based on the amount of assets and property you own, not on your income.
According to the Hanafi madhab, every sane, adult Muslim who possesses wealth above a certain amount – known as Nisab – must pay 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat.
Assets include gold, silver, cash, savings, and business assets that were in the person's possession during the lunar year.
There are eight categories of people entitled to receive zakat, namely:
A poor person is someone whose wealth, exceeding their basic needs, does not reach the Nisab threshold.
It must be paid and received by Muslims. Therefore, unlike sadaqah, non-Muslims cannot receive zakat donations, nor can wealthy individuals.
The family of Prophet Muhammad (the descendants of Ahlul Bayt from Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib) could not receive donations as part of zakat or sadaqah.
The recipient of zakat cannot be someone for whom you are financially responsible according to Islam, e.g. your wife (Hanafi madhab). Nor can it be your children or parents who are dependent on you for their daily maintenance. According to other madhabs, a wife may give zakat to her husband if he meets the relevant conditions.
According to the Hanafi and Hanbali madhhabs, grandparents are not eligible to receive zakat. However, in the Shafi and Maliki madhhabs, it is permissible to give zakat to grandparents, provided that you are not responsible for their maintenance. Other relatives may receive zakat if they are eligible.
Soon, together with our Imam Advisory Board, we will prepare a separate article on giving zakat to family members – be sure to check our website so you don't miss it!
We know that when you give zakat, you do so for Allah (Subhana wa ta'alla), out of love and obedience to the One who has entrusted us with the responsibility of caring for those around us.
For over 5 years, we have taken this sacred duty very seriously and transformed your zakat into a lifeline for people in crisis, a chance for the starving to access food and water, and an opportunity to break out of the cycle of poverty. We allocate funds to the first category of zakat – the poor and needy.
With the help of scholars from our Zakat Advisory Board, we can ensure that every penny of your zakat is spent in accordance with Sharia (Islamic law) and as effectively as possible.
Your zakat is our amanah. We know that we are accountable to you, to the people we serve, and ultimately to Allah (subhana wa ta'alla).
In 2025, thanks to your zakat donations, we were able to protect lives, alleviate hunger, and restore dignity to our brothers and sisters in Nigeria and in The Gaza Strip.
With deep concern, the A & A Rainbow Hearts Around The World Foundation implemented two large projects (in Nigeria and Palestine) financed by Zakat donations, reaching families struggling with difficulties, conflicts and poverty.
This year, your support continues to be a lifeline for communities in Palestine and Nigeria. It is up to you and your trust that will determine how much we can do and what aid projects we can implement – from emergency relief to rebuilding livelihoods. Your donations help us provide shelter, clean water, healthcare and basic food. Thanks to you, we can reach out to more than 50,000 brothers and sisters suffering and dying of hunger in Nigeria, as well as Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip suffering from a humanitarian disaster.
