The Differences between zakaah and sadaqah
Zakah |
Sadaqah |
Linguistically | |
Zakaah in Arabic means growth, blessing and purification. [See Lisaan al-‘Arab, 14/358;, 2/399 ] |
Sadaqah comes from the word sidq (sincerity), i.e. it is a sign of sincerity of faith on the part of the person who gives it. [See Fath al-Qadeer, 2/399] |
shar’ia definition | |
Zakaah means worshipping Allaah by giving that which He has enjoined of different kinds of zakaah to those who are entitled to them, according to the guidelines prescribed in sharee’ah. |
Sadaqah means worshipping Allaah by giving money without that being made obligatory in sharee’ah. The word sadaqah is sometimes used to refer to obligatory zakaah. |
Thnigs on which | |
Zakaah is enjoined in Islam on specific things, which are: gold, silver, crops, fruits, trade goods and an’aam livestock, i.e., camels, cattle and sheep. |
With regard to sadaqah, it is not obligatory on any kind of wealth, rather it is what a person can give, without any specific limits or guidelines. |
Time and Nisaab | |
Zakaah is subject to the conditions that one full Hijri have passed since acquiring the wealth, and that the wealth meet the minimum threshold (nisaab), and it is a specific portion of wealth. |
Sadaqah is not subject to any conditions, and it may be given at any time, in any amount. |
Recepients | |
Allaah has enjoined that zakaah be given to certain types of people, and it is not permissible to give it to anyone else. They are the people mentioned in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): |
With regard to sadaqah, it may be given to those mentioned in the verse on zakaah and to others. |
Inheritance | |
Whoever dies and owes zakaah, his heirs must pay it from his wealth, and that takes precedence over the will (wasiyah) and inheritance. |
As for sadaqah, there are no such obligations with regard to it. |
Punishment for not doing | |
The one who withholds zakaah is to be punished, as it says in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (987) from Abu Hurayrah رضي الله عنه who said: The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “There is no owner of treasure who does not pay his zakaah, but it will be heated in the Fire of Hell and made into plates with which his sides and forehead will be branded until Allaah passes judgement between His slaves on a Day the length of which will be like fifty thousand years, then he see shown his path and whether it leads to Paradise or to Hell. And there is no owner of camels who does not pay zakaah on them, but a soft sandy plain will be prepared for him and they will be made to step on him. Every time the last of them has gone the first of them will return, until Allaah passes judgement between His slaves on a Day the length of which will be like fifty thousand years, then he will see his path and whether it leads to Paradise or to Hell. And there is no owner of sheep who does not pay zakaah on them but a soft sandy plain will be prepared for him, and he will find none of them missing, with twisted horns or without horns or with broken horns, and they will be made to gore him with their horns and trample him with their hooves. Every time the last of them has gone the first of them will return, until Allaah passes judgement between His slaves on a Day the length of which will be like fifty thousand years, then he will see his path and whether it leads to Paradise or to Hell…” |
With regard to sadaqah, the one who does not pay it will not be punished. |
Giving to ascendants or descendents | |
According to the four schools of law, it is not permissible to give zakaah to one’s ascendants or descendents. Ascendants include one’s mother, father, grandfathers and grandmothers; descendents include one's children and their children. |
Sadaqah may be given to one's ascendants and descendants. |
Giving it to Rich or who is strong and able | |
It is not permissible to give zakaah to one who is rich or who is strong and able to earn a living. |
Sadaqah may be given to those who are rich and those who are strong and able to earn. |
Giving Locally / Remotely | |
In the case of zakaah, it is better for it to be taken from the rich of a land and given to their poor. Many scholars are of the view that it is not permissible to send it to another country unless that serves an interest. |
But charity may be spent on those who are near and those who are far. |
Giving to kuffaar and mushrikeen. | |
It is not permissible to give zakaah to kuffaar and mushrikeen. |
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): |
Giving it to wife | |
It is not permissible for a Muslim to give zakaah to his wife. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated that there was scholarly consensus on this point. |
But sadaqah may be given to one’s wife. |
The word sadaqah may be applied to all kinds of good deeds. Al-Bukhaariرحمة الله عليه said in his Saheeh: “Chapter: every good deed is a charity” then he narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah رضي الله عنه that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every good deed is a charity.” |