Fiqh az Zakat : A Comparative Study

Dr. Yusuf al-Qardawi, who was born in Egypt, is one of the outstanding scholars of this time. After studying at al-Azhar, he has travelled the world in the service of Islam, imparting knowledge, writing books and dispensing fiqh. He is now resident in Qatar where he is a highly respected figure and has been appointed to a number of posts, including a professorship at it’s university. Among the numerous books he has written, one of the most important is the present volume on fiqh az-Zakat. It is a study which deals in depth with legal rulings and philosophy of zakat in the light of the Qur’an and Sunna. Among the five pillars of Islam, Zakat is the third after Tawhid and the prayer. It is crucial to the financial and political structure of every muslim community. Yet, despite it’s pivotal significance, it is the least understood of the basic practices of Islam and indeed now plays little or no part in the lives of the vast majority of Muslims. That fact makes this book a very important addition to the literature available to English-speaking Muslims. It covers every aspect of zakat in great detail, studying those who are obliged to pay zakat, the amounts they have to pay, as well as the types of wealth on which zakat must be paid. It also deals with how zakat is collected, its connection to Muslim governance and its relation to society as a whole. Fiqh az-Zakat is a seminal work for all Muslims and an important reference book for everyone interested in Islam.