Zakah in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Hello Baba, what have you been doing, I saw you talking to your system and listening to something. Hope everythings is alright? Asked Jafar.
Everything is alright my friend. I responded. I enrolled for a Professional Diploma in Zakat and Waqf Management at Zakat and Waqf Online University (ZAWOUNI). Have you heard of the university before?
No I haven’t. He replied.
In today’s class, one of the topics of discussion is Zakah in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I said.
You mean in Christianity and Judaism they are also enjoined to pay Zakah just like in Islam, He enquired.
I said that yes they are also enjoined to pay zakah.
In Judaism, “The enjoinment of the contribution of charity was clearly mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, the religious book for the Jews. According to the Old Testament, Israelites are required to contribute a tenth part of the crops of the land and herds of cattle to charity” (Leviticus 27:30-32).
In Christianity also, I learned also that there were early Christians that held all things in common. What this means is that the early Christian then sold everything they possessed and brought the wealth to the church leader so that everybody held the wealth in common and so there were no poor among them thereafter.
(Acts 2:44) and (Acts 4:32-37)
Most of the people who also follow the teachings of Jesus Christ recognize in his saying that:
“Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me [. . .]”
(Matthew 25:45) & (Matthew 25: 31-44)”
He said wow! This affirmed that the religion of Islam has long been in existence and practice and that Christianity andJudaism are precursors to Islam.
I said that also in Islam we are enjoined to give out Zakat to the poor and the needy. There is a minimum amount of wealth that is exempted from payment of Zakat which is called Nisab.
Please tell me more about the Nisab to know If I am to pay Zakat. He said.
This will be another topic for another day. When we meet again I will share with you what I have learned again and more also on the Nisab (The minimum amount of wealth that is exempted from payment of Zakat). I said.
Thank you for sharing what you had learned with me. See you tomorrow, Saturday, said Jafar.
Good bye! Jafar. Till we meet again. I said.