IJTEHAD DECREE-- CONSULTATION ON ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE -- ON ZAKA'AT (BY SCHOLARS OF ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE AND OF ISLAM, REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS ECONOMIC CLASSES INCLUDING THE POOR)

 

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An Ijetehad took in 2017 on Zaka'at -- one of the obligations in Islam; a prosperous Muslim cannot avoid that. On this matter, in 2018 and in 2019 was further deliberated as well. The Ijetehad was also joined by the experts of Islamic Jurisprudence from within ISI, the experts of Islam, the experts on poverty, the experts of mechanism of taxation in Pakistan, the experts on economy and representation of middle and elite class associated Pakistani Muslims including male and female. The discussion was also heard and at certain place was participated by the non-Muslim ISI officials. The Ijetehad was also joined by ISI officials as Muslims as well as human persons apart from / along with being ISI officials.

 

In the Ijetehad, following was reached that hereafter will be called decree (Fatwa) on Zaks'at through Ijetehad:

               

                In contemporary industrial world and societies, in the perspective of growing urbanization with the realities of private-propertylessness, the corporate and market oriented consumables for the sustenance of a human life, in the reality of dearth of land, scarcity of fundamental natural resources for human beings, the Zaka'at that is traditionally measured by the Muslims of our times is based on centuries old weighing / value of one's total wealth. That weighing / wealth subtraction That weighing is of the era when people were having private shelters free-of-cost, health and education was neither institutionalized nor became corporate sector as not even developed like today. Therefore, Zaka'at today should be subtracted on these bases:

 

                a. It should not be restricted to the wealth in the form of moveable and immoveable commodities. It should also encompass the monetary wealth in the form of Prize Bonds; Share Market Stokes; Banked Wealth, Gold and other similar as well as virtual means of the wealth -- hence all kinds of the wealth that exist in today's world as well as of tomorrow's.

                b. Zaka'at deduction should also include the food, shelter (rentals where applies), healthcare, education, and other fundamental requirements of life as well as transportation required for that in accordance with the societies where Zaka'at has to be given by the Muslims.   

i.         An employed person's requirements according to his economic class should be minuses, and a part of an employed person salary / income after that should be considered payable as Zaka'at.

ii.        Self-Employed, Business and Trade associated Muslims should pay Zaka'at in the realities of today's life expenditures as Zaka'at is for the poor and the deserving who are unable to attain shelter, food, clothing, health, education and associated necessities in the today's world. Everything that is wealth today has to be subtracted by the Muslims for the poor that deserve.                       

 

According to a verse of the Holy Qura'an, spend [for poor and deserving. Ed], whatsoever you have. 

 

Those who joined the process of Ijetehad include Hanafya and Jeffery Maalki (orthodoxies) of Islam and were Ahal-e-Sunnah wa Jama'at; Fiqah-e-Jaffaria / Shiite; Dewband, Brailvi, Salafi (including Sufi Salafi - Sindhi / Sindh born Salafi); Ahl-e-Hadith; as well as Sindhi, Siraiki and Baloch Sufi Muslims, and the non-practicing ones. A few Hindu and Christians from Sindh and Punjab, Pakistan also shared their brief comments / views.   

Consensus reached on above by the above mentioned participants during the October-November 2017, and further deliberated briefly again in 2018 as well as 2019. 

The process opened and moderated by as well as along with the opinion and views by the undersigned and the consensus reached after other participant's opinions and views is hereby declared on Friday November 29, 2019, Kathmandu, Nepal.

 

Zulfiqar   Ali Shah

Graduation and Masters in Philosophy - Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Islam, Logic and others: 

                2002 - University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan   

- M. Phil (Course-work only) Development Studies

                2008 - Sindh Development Studies Centre, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Passed-out in Quran, Sunnah, and Hadith 1987-1995 subjects / exclusive:

                1995: Government Collage Mehar, Sindh, Pakistan 

                1993 - Government High School Radhan, Sindh, Pakistan

                1990-1993 Madersahs of Ahl-e-Sunnah wa Jama'at and Ahl-e-Tashia, Radhan, Sindh     Pakistan

                1985 - Government Primary School Radhan, Sindh, Pakistan

 

Profession: UN Volunteer: Member with a UN Geneva accredited forum on International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Sindh Scout; Human Rights activist Sindh & Balochistan, author analyst and journalist . UNHCR Kathmandu recognized refugee (Refugee file no. 706-12C00046)

 

Current Address / Temporary: Ground Floor, Green Builders, Ward N. 6, Dharamsthali, Kathmandu, Nepal

 

Mobile number in Nepal: 9818811137  (remains off sometimes due to certain reasons). Email (not in use these days): shahzulf@yahoo.com. Website: www.zulfiqarshah.com facebook: www.facebook.com/shahzulf Twitter: @shahzulf