41 Preface الَّذينَ إِن مَكَّنّاهُم فِي الأَرضِ أَقامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكاةَ وَأَمَروا بِالمَعروفِ وَنَهَوا عَنِ المُنكَرِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عاقِبَةُ الأُمورِAhmed AliThose who would be firm in devotion, give zakat,1 and enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong, if We gave them authority in the land. But the resultance of things rests with God. Az-Zakat means to better, to increase, as well as welfare, betterment, growth, etc., as azka means that which has goodness, gives nourishment, as in 18:81, or good, as in 19:19, or nourishes, as in 91:9. Zakat and salat have often been used together in the Qur’an, being the basic elements of the Qur’anic Order. Since Salat, discussed briefly in the Preface, stands for devotion and fulfilling one’s duties and obligations arising from ‘ubudiyat, devotion, service, as ‘abd, creature or servant or slave, of God the Creator, zakat stands for striving for the welfare and betterment, or growth and development of mankind, as is clear from 23:4. Zakat, thus, constitutes the socio-economic aspect within the overall concept of salat as service to God in its widest connotation, as taqwa constitutes the moral aspect. Being the socio-economic aspect, the dimensions of zakat are collective; and its purpose of nourishment, growth, betterment and welfare cannot be achieved without the participation of each individual by contributing to the common good physically or intellectually as ita-e-zakat, and by contributing from his wealth to enable the people or the institution, or government set up to administer the affairs of the people in an Islamic Order (whose entire income is meant for the betterment, growth, and progress of the people) to utilise it for the welfare and development of the members of society and mankind, the excess going to the common treasury. That is why, even though obligatory for all Muslims the Qur’an has not prescribed any fixed amount, limit, or percentage of wealth for zakat. Other contributions that are expected to be made by Muslims for the well-being of fellow-men, fall under sadaqat, charities, specified in 9:60 and 9:103 which include zakat payment of which, however is obligatory. The category of those deserving help under zakat, the mustahiqeen is thus delineated in 9:60, along with those entitled to receive sadaqat. The purpose of voluntary contributions is not only the betterment of fellow-beings but also to restrict the accumulation of wealth in a few hands, and to encourage its free flow and circulation. Only non-Muslims are not expected to give zakat, for whom jaziya is prescribed. See 9:29 and corresponding note.