5 Virtues of Paying Zakat Fitrah
Illustration of Zakat (Doc: Kabarmakassar).
— Zakat fitrah is mandatory for Muslims. The reason is, paying zakat fitrah is one of the pillars of Islam, which is carried out during the holy month of Ramadan or before Eid al-Fitr.
Paying zakat fitrah can also be said to be the closing of worship during the holy month of Ramadan. Where, this can cover the shortcomings of fasting.
Not only that, here are 5 priorities for anyone who pays zakat fitrah in the holy month of Ramadan, as quoted from the NU Online page as follows:
1. Enter heaven
As Allah SWT says in the Al-Quran surah An-Nisa verse 162, Allah SWT says:
لَكِنِ الرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ يُؤ ْمِنُونَ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَالْ مُقِيمِينَ الصَّلَاةَ وَالْمُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ God willing ظِيمًا
Meaning: "But those who are profound in knowledge among them and the believers, they believe in what has been revealed to you (the Qur'an), and what has been revealed before you and those who establish prayer, pay zakat, and who believe in Allah and the DayThen. It is these people that We will give them a great reward (QS An-Nisa: 162).”
What is meant by great reward in this verse is the guarantee of heaven for people who obediently pay zakat as promised to the Children of Israel.
2. His mistakes are forgiven
Allah SWT says:
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَبَعَثْنَا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيبًا وَقَالَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي مَعَكُمْ ل َئِنْ أَقَمْتُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَيْتُمُ الزَّكَاةَ وَآمَنْتُمْ بِ God willing لَأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْكُمْGod willing َا الْأَنْهَارُ فَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْكُمْ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ س َوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ
Artonya: "And indeed Allah has taken the covenant (from) the Children of Israel and We have appointed among them leaders and Allah said: Verily I am with you, verily if you establish prayer and pay zakat and believe in My messengers and you helpthem and you lend to Allah a good loan, verily I will cover your sins. And verily, I will admit you into paradise where rivers flow. So whoever disbelieves among you after that, he has indeed strayed from the straight path (QS Al-Maidah: 12)."
With this verse, Allah SWT promises forgiveness of sins for people who pay zakat and at the same time promises a guarantee of heaven as in the previous verse.
3. Get instructions and guidance
As Allah SWT said:
God willing ْمِ الْآخِرِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَلَمْ يَخْشَ God willing َ
Meaning: "Only those who prosper in Allah's mosques are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and continue to pray, pay zakat and are not afraid (of anyone) except Allah. So they are the people who are expected to be among those who receive guidance (QS At-Taubah: 18)."
This verse explains that people who obediently pay zakat have great hope of receiving guidance in all their affairs.
4. Get rewards
Allah SWT says:
God bless you ِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا ت َتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ. لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا وَيَزِيدَهُمْ مِنْ ف َضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
Meaning: "A man who is not neglected by business and not (nor) by buying and selling, from remembering Allah, and (from) establishing prayers, and (from) paying zakat. They are afraid of a day when (on that day) their hearts and eyes will be shaken. (They do that) so that Allah will reward them (with a reward) that is better than what they have done, and so that Allah will increase His bounty upon them. and Allah gives sustenance to whom He wills without limits (QS An-Nuur: 37 – 38).”
5. The wealth you own is a blessing
As Rasulullah SAW said:
مَا نَقَصَتْ صَدَقَةٌ مِنْ مَالٍ
Meaning: "Alms (zakat) will not reduce wealth (HR Muslim)."
This hadith emphasizes that a person's zakat will not reduce his wealth in the slightest. This means that even though a person's wealth decreases because it is used to pay zakat, after being given zakat, his wealth will become full of blessings and increase, as explained by Imam an-Nawawi in the Muslim book Syarh an-Nawawi:
God willing Facebook Facebook
Meaning: "In the hadith above the scholars mention two sides. One, his wealth will be blessed, kept away from dangers and then his lack of wealth will be covered with a vague blessing. This is seen as real and proven by custom. Second, even though it seems to be reduced due to zakat, his wealth is in the reward which will cover the lack of his wealth and will bring in a double increase," (an-Nawawi, Syarh an-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, Beirut, Dar Ihya' at-Turats al -'Arabi, second printing, 2003, volume XVIpage 141).