Zakat

Zakat – help with purpose and responsibility

As an international humanitarian aid organisation, we bring your Zakat donations directly to people in need worldwide as part of our Ramadan and Kurban campaigns – in particular through missions in countries such as Türkiye. We provide both donations in kind and cash donations to support people in need where it matters.

What is Zakat – and who can receive it?

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. It obliges well-off Muslims to give one fortieth (2.5 %) of their wealth once a year to certain groups in need, as named in the Quran.

Zakat is obligatory for all free, adult Muslims of sound mind who have a certain minimum amount of wealth (Nisab) – after deducting their basic needs and debts – and have held this wealth for at least one year.

Zakat can be given, among others, to the poor, the needy, debtors, travellers, captives to free them, students, people in the way of Allah and to people whose hearts are to be won for Islam (Müellefe-i Kulub, see Surah At-Tawba, 9:60).

Help begins in your closest circle – Zakat should first and foremost be given to relatives and people close to you who are in need.

What Zakat is not

Zakat is not a duty imposed on every Muslim regardless of their financial situation. It only concerns those who have a certain amount of wealth – the so-called Nisab threshold. Zakat must not be confused with state taxes: while taxes are a civic duty, Zakat is a spiritual and religious obligation.

What is the Nisab?

The Nisab is the fixed wealth threshold from which the obligation to pay Zakat applies. It defines the minimum amount of possessions that must be exceeded for a person to be obliged to give Zakat.

How high is the Nisab?

According to Islamic teaching, the Nisab corresponds to the value of 80 grams of gold.