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Sheikh Al-Misry’s Explanation about Eight Groups of Zakat Receivers

"Identify them (the zakat receivers) so that those with extra wealth can give their zakat to the rightful people as Allah has commanded in Surah At-Tawbah verse 60. Sheikh Shaarawy, a 20th century Egyptian Islamic scholar and an expert on Quranic exegesis, once said, ‘If one finds poor and needy people in the land of the Muslims, it shows that there are those who are wealthy but haven’t properly performed their zakat’,” said Sheikh Ahmad Al-Misry.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Misry, an Egyptian-born Indonesian Muslim scholar. (ACTNews)

ACTNews, JAKARTA – In preparation for Ramadan, one must learn about the rulings of the acts of worship performed in this blessed month, one of which is zakat. To remind Indonesian Muslims about the rulings of zakat, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Misry, an Egyptian-born Indonesian Muslim scholar and preacher, explained about the eight groups to whom zakat are given as written in the Quran, Tuesday (3/23/2021).

Allah says in the Quran Surah At-Tawbah verse 60, “Alms are meant only for the poor, the needy, those who administer them, those whose hearts need winning over, to free slaves and help those in debt, for God’s cause, and for travelers in need. This is ordained by God; God is all knowing and wise."

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Misry explained that the eight groups (asnaf) who are entitled to receive zakat. The first three of them are the poor, the needy, and the administrators (amil) of the zakat. The zakat administrators are those who collect and gather the zakat.

"They (amil) are allowed to receive some of the zakat as a reward for their work, as long as they don’t belong to the household of Prophet Muhammad, Peace and Blessing be upon him,” he continued.

The fourth group is muallaf, people whose hearts need to be won over i.e. those whose hearts have been attracted to Islam. “We can give the zakat to them so that they will be even more interested to convert to Islam,” added the sheikh.

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The fifth group who is entitled to receive zakat is the slaves or those who are in the bondage of slavery. “The slaves who are can receive are those who have made an agreement with their masters to pay a certain amount of wealth to free themselves. If we help them by giving us our zakat so that they may free themselves with this wealth, it is allowed,” said Sheikh Al-Misry