Fatwa #264042 August 2013South Africa
Zakat and Lillah
Question
Kindly explain the difference between Zakah and Lilah. I have been giving a month contribution towards our local Mosque and have been contributing monthly toward an Aids Orphanage, is this Zakat?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Zakat is a compulsory contribution upon a rich and wealthy Muslim who has excess wealth equivalent to the Nisaab amount which is 612.36 grams of silver or its equivalent amount in cash. This is brief explanation on Zakat.
Lillah is an Arabic word which means ‘for the pleasure of Allah’. This refers to a voluntary contribution. There is no obligation upon a person in a lillah contribution. He may decide not to contribute. If he does decide to contribute, he is a liberty to contribute any amount.
In the case of zakat one has to contribute 2.5%of his excess wealth. In the case of Aids orphanage, you may contribute lillah funds. Zakat is reserved for Muslims only.
And Allah Knows Best.
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.