Steve Wells ~
I noticed that in the SAB's sidebar to the Quranic text, you give a "thumbs-up" when the payment of zakat -- rendered in the text as "poor-tax" -- is mentioned. While it is a good thing to help the poor, I think it should also be noted that the funds collected via the zakat-donations/taxations were not strictly a "poor-tax."
9:60 describes what the zakat-money was to be spent on:
(1) assisting the chronically poor,
(2) assisting those who are poor due to a temporary crisis,
(3) paying for the expenses of zakat-collection,
(4) attracting the hearts of those who are considering becoming Muslims,
(5) paying ransoms,
(6) paying debts,
(7) financing the cause of Allah (Hilali-Khan note: "Mujahidun - those fighting in a holy battle), and
(8) assisting the indigent wayfarer.
Zakat is not strictly reserved for charity-use.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
I noticed that in the SAB's sidebar to the Quranic text, you give a "thumbs-up" when the payment of zakat -- rendered in the text as "poor-tax" -- is mentioned. While it is a good thing to help the poor, I think it should also be noted that the funds collected via the zakat-donations/taxations were not strictly a "poor-tax."
9:60 describes what the zakat-money was to be spent on:
(1) assisting the chronically poor,
(2) assisting those who are poor due to a temporary crisis,
(3) paying for the expenses of zakat-collection,
(4) attracting the hearts of those who are considering becoming Muslims,
(5) paying ransoms,
(6) paying debts,
(7) financing the cause of Allah (Hilali-Khan note: "Mujahidun - those fighting in a holy battle), and
(8) assisting the indigent wayfarer.
Zakat is not strictly reserved for charity-use.
Yours in Christ,
Waterrock
