زَكَاةٌ

Full Definition

زَكَاةٌ . or زَكٰوةٌ, [accord. to El-Hareeree, to be written with ا when prefixed to a pronoun, and also in the dual number, but this rule I have not found to be generally observed, even in the best MSS., nor have I in the similar cases of صَلٰوةٌ and حَيٰوةٌ, in the best copies of the Kur-án,] of the measure فَعَلَةٌ, [i. e., originally زَكَوَةٌ,] like صَدَقَةٌ [which is one of its syns.]; a noun of the class of homonyms: it signifies Increase, or augmentation, as also زَكَآءٌ [mentioned in the first paragraph as an Verbal.Noun], resulting from the blessing of God; and this is [said to be] the primary meaning; and is considered as relating to the things of the present world and to those of the world to come.
2 And Purity. And [particularly] The dryness of the earth or ground; which is its purity from defilement.
3 And Purification: a meaning which it is said to have in the saying in the Kur [xxiii. 4], وَٱلَّذِينَ هُمْ لِلزَّكٰوةِ فَاعِلُونَ, i. e. And who are acting in their religious service for God's purification of them; or for their purification of themselves: for لِلزَّكٰوة is not here an objective complement of فَاعِلُونَ; the ل therein denoting the aim and the cause.
4 Also, [as being a mode of purification of oneself,] Good, or righteous, conduct: and in this sense it has been expl. as used in the Kur xviii. 80: or as meaning goodness, or righteousness: which زَكَآءٌ [also] signifies. And Religious service; as being the means of purification: so [accord. to some] it signifies in the saying [in the Kur xix. 14], وَحَنَانًا مِنْ لَدُنَّا وَزَكٰوةً [And the disposition to mercy, or compassion, from us, and religious service]: or it here means طُهْرَة [i. e. purification, or purity]: and [accord. to some, if we except the instances mentioned above in the next two preceding sentences,] this is the only instance in the Kur-án in which it is used in any other sense than that which next follows.
5 And [The poor-rate;] the portion, or amount, of property, that is given therefrom, as the due of God, by its possessor, to the poor, in order that he may purify it thereby: [in the S it is merely said that “ the زَكٰوة of property is well known: ” the giving it is obligatory, provided that the property is of a certain amount, and has been in possession eleven months: the portion given varies according to the nature and amount of the property; but is generally a fortieth part thereof, or of its value; i. e. two and a half per cent.:] it is thus termed [for the reason assigned above; or] as being a cause of the hope of increase, or as causing the soul, or person, to thrive, or grow, by means of good things and blessings [procured thereby], or for both of these reasons. زَكَاةُ الفِطْرِ [The alms of the breaking of the fast, given at the end of Ramadán,] is obligatory upon every person of the Muslims, the free and the slave, the male and the female, the young and the old, the poor and the rich; and purifies the faster from unprofitable and lewd discourse: it consists of a صَاع [q. v.] of dates, or of barley, [or of raisins or some other ordinary kind of food,] or half that quantity of wheat. (El-Jámi' es-Sagheer, voce زَكَاة.) [The pl. is زَكَوَاتٌ.]
6 Also, [as being an attribution of purity or goodness or righteousness,] Praise.
7 And The pure, or best, part of a thing: on the authority of Aboo-'Alee.

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