Muslim weddings in Mysore are vibrant with ritualistic customs. Muslim second marriage brides in Mysore are now bold enough to register with matrimony portals like Mysore Nikah to restart their life. Zakat is a form of almsgiving treated in Islam as a religious obligation or tax, which by Quranic ranking, is next after prayer(salat)in importance. As one of the five pillars of Islam, Zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, often considered to be a tax. Zakat on wealth is based on the value of all of one’s possessions. It is customarily 2.5% of a Muslim’s total savings and wealth above a minimum amount known as nisab, but Islamic scholars differ on how much nisab is and other aspects of Zakat. According to Islam the collected amount should be paid to the poor and the needy. Today in most Muslim majority countries, zakat contributors are voluntary, while in Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen, zakat is mandated and collected by the state. Zakat literally means “that which purifies”. Zakat is considered a way to purify one’s income and wealth from sometimes worldly, impure ways of acquisition.
The amount of Zakat to be paid by an individual depends on the amount of money and the type of assets the individual possesses. The Quran does not provide specific guidelines on which types of wealth are taxable under the zakat, nor does it specify percentages to be given. But the customary practice is that the amount of zakat paid on capital assets is 2.5%. Zakat is additionally payable on agricultural goods, precious metals, minerals between 2.5% and 20% depending on the type of goods. The zakat is considered by Muslims to be an act of piety through which one expresses concern for the well-being of fellow Muslims, as well as preserving social harmony between the wealthy and the poor. Zakat promotes a more equitable redistribution of wealth and fosters a sense of solidarity amongst members. Today, in most Muslim countries, zakat is at the discretion of Muslims over how and whether to pay, typically enforced by fear of God, peer pressure and an individual’s personal feelings.
