One of the Five Pillars of Islam is giving of charity (zakat) which occurs during the month of fasting, Ramadan. Zakat is a mandatory form of charity in Islam, considered one of the Five Pillars. It requires eligible Muslims to give 2.5% of their accumulated wealth annually to help those in need. It is meant to purify wealth and promote social equality. The recipients of Zakat are specified in the Quran, including the poor, needy, debt-ridden, and others in hardship (Quran 9:60).
Sadaqah is voluntary charity that can be given at any time and in any amount. It is not limited to money—it includes acts of kindness, helping others, or even a smile. Unlike Zakat, Sadaqah has no fixed percentage and can be given to anyone in need, not just specific groups.
Both encourage generosity and social responsibility, but Zakat is obligatory, while Sadaqah is voluntary.
The main theme of Eid-ul-Fitr for Muslims is celebrating the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan, expressing gratitude to Almighty God, and fostering community and charity. It is indeed prudent to appreciate, that whilst the two topics of charity (zakat in Arabic) and sacrifice (sadaqah in Arabic) may be close in name and seem to be interrelated, they are intrinsically different in meaning and application, when seen both externally and internally by the giver.
In exemplifying charity and sacrifice, the Holy Qur’an draws the parable of a mustard seed, which when grown multiplies in grains several fold. This parable further relates to the outcome of the Divine blessings, that Almighty God gives to those people, who sacrifice purely for charity and without reproach or injury: then Almighty God rewards them at His will. Almighty God makes clear in the Holy Qur’an that charity must be voluntary and honest, but not as show to others. Charity with hypocrisy has absolutely no worth with Almighty God. People must remember, that Almighty God is ever-watching and aware of each person’s intentions at all times. Further, Almighty God makes very clear in several parts of the Holy Qur’an, that He is non-Material, superlatively Spiritual and immeasurably Self-Sufficient and He does not need charity.
However, mankind must help one another and Almighty God will reward those helpers towards charity. In Islam, giving out for charity should only be for useful things, which the giver personally values and not what the giver considers as worthless things. The Holy Qur’an makes clear that contributions for charity and sacrifice must be directed to the poor and to those who are appointed to administer the poor-rate collection, as prescribed. Accordingly, the Holy Qur’an reminds mankind at large, that those who pay and do acts of charity and make sacrifices, then their reward is guaranteed with Almighty God.
Conclusions on Muslims’ Eid-ul-Fitr:
a) Charity is the third of the five pillars of Islam
1st: One God;
2nd: Prayers 5 times daily;
3rd: Charity;
4th: Fasting
5th: Pilgrimage
Charity, called zakat in Arabic, is cash contributions towards a cumulative funding system for Muslims. The contribution is 2.5% or 1/40th of net savings of whatsoever income.
b) Sacrifice is a subsystem of Charity. Sacrifice is called sadaqah in Arabic, which may be financial or material or both financial and material. Sacrifice or sadaqah may be for both Muslims and non-Muslims. Whilst charity (zakat) is both collected and paid regularly to the deserving Muslim recipients, including those Muslims employed to collect and distribute those funds.
c) Additional sacrifice (sadaqah jariyah) may be paid for community assistance projects, which includes both Muslims and non-Muslims as the beneficiaries. Examples may include wider benefits to the affected regional communities.
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