And establish prayer and give zakah, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah; surely Allah sees what you do.
Offering zakah is a religious obligation of all Muslims, and is the third of the five pillars of Islam (right after prayer). In Arabic, zakah means purification, growth and blessing. Paying zakah is meant to remind Muslims to be appreciative of the blessings that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon them, and to help empower those who have less.
Islamic Relief collects and distributes zakah to those who are most in need, in accordance with Islamic guidelines. Giving your zakah through IRUSA means you can help provide emergency food, shelter for refugees, job training, medication and so much more.
No matter who you send your zakah to, there’s one thing in common: The people who receive it are truly grateful. It’s more than a percentage, and more than a check–it’s a link between hearts.
Zakah is payable at 2.5% of the wealth one possesses above the nisab. Nisab, which is equal to 3 ounces of gold, is the minimum amount of wealth one must have before they are liable to pay zakah. *As of May 18, 2015, nisab is estimated to be $3,599.56.Zakah is liable on gold, silver, cash, savings, investments, rent income, business merchandise and profits, shares, securities and bonds.Zakah is not paid on wealth used for debt repayment of living expenses such as clothing, food, housing, transportation, education, etc.