Zakat meaning

Zakat describes, in legal practice, a form of charitable giving by Muslim clients and charities handling faith-based donations, rather than a concept defined by UK or Irish statute. It is a religious obligation in Islam for those whose wealth exceeds a minimum threshold (nisab), and is one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and among the Ten Practices of Shia Islam. In the UK and Ireland, zakat commonly arises in charity law, tax, and estate planning. Donations paid to qualifying UK or Irish registered charities may attract Gift Aid or corporate tax relief in the UK, and the Charitable Donation Scheme or corporate deductions in Ireland, subject to the usual conditions; payments made directly to individuals generally do not qualify. Payroll Giving can be used to route zakat to eligible charities. Charities receiving zakat typically treat it as restricted funds: trustees must apply it only for purposes consistent with the charity’s objects and public benefit, and in accordance with donor restrictions and regulatory guidance. In wills and probate, a testator may direct that outstanding zakat be calculated and paid from the estate; absent such provision, zakat is not a civil debt. The term is generally not defined in legislation or case...