Respected Brothers & Sisters
Assalamualaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatuhu

May Allah (SWT) shower His choicest blessings upon us. Ameen.

What is Zakat?
Zakat is one of the greatest pillars of Islam. From the Holy Quran we learn that in Islam Zakat stands second to Salat. Zakat means purity and cleanliness.

Meaning of Zakat:
A portion set apart from your wealth for the poor and needy is called Zakat, in this manner a person’s wealth along with his own ‘nafs’ (self) becomes purified.

A few translated Verses of Quran relating to Zakat are as follows:

• Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and gave Zakat, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. (Sura-2 Ayath 277)
  
  
• Those who do not give Zakah, and in the Hereafter they are disbelievers. (Sura-41 Ayath 7)
  
  
• The Believers, men and women are protectors, one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil : they observe regular prayers, pay Zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in power, Wise. (Sura-9 Ayath 71)

Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) guided the Ummah towards an organized system of collection and distribution of Zakat. Your poor and deserving relatives have first right over your zakat.

H.Z.C.T in coordination with GBK Charitable Trust and Foundation for Economic and Educational Development aims to give scholarships to more than 25000 students in the year 2007-2008 by spending about Rs.11 Crores (US$.2.5 Mill) InshaAllah.

There are about 12,000 H.Z.C.T Scholars who are in Professional courses like, Engineering, Medicine, MBA, MCA, M.Pharma, M.Sc. B.Ed., Nursing, IIT, IIM, etc.

Hyderabad Zakat & Charitable Trust has devised a form. This enclosed FORM and Annexure is a guideline for;

(a) Who is liable to give Zakat and to whom
(b) How to compute Zakat
(c) What items of personal wealth are exempted from Zakat.

Care has been taken to include all items on which Zakat is compulsory, however errors may be brought to our notice. Zakat is payable by a Muslim on his/her wealth and not on income. If one’s wealth is in excess of Rs.10,300/- after deducting the liabilities/ exemptions allowed and one full year has passed after acquiring it, then Zakat is compulsorily due. The figure of Rs.10,300/- is based on present day market value of 52½ Tolas (new Tolas 60.65) of silver in India (which is the fixed ‘Nisab’). Residential house, personal car, rented property, household furniture, crockery, utensils are all exempted and Zakat is not payable on these assets.