zakat

American

[zuh-kaht] / zəˈkɑt /

Also zakah

noun

Islam.

a tax, comprising percentages of personal income of every kind, levied as almsgiving for the relief of poor people: the third of the Pillars of Islam.

zakat British

/ zaˈkat /

noun

Islam an annual tax on Muslims to aid the poor in the Muslim community

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of zakat

First recorded in 1800–05; from Turkish zekât or Persian zakāt, from Arabic zakāh

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The other pillars are the profession of faith, prayer five times a day, zakat - a form of charity, and making the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca once in their lifetime.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2024

It isn’t required to pay zakat during Ramadan, but many Muslims choose to do so because of the month’s spiritual rewards.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2022

The Islamic duty of charity, or zakat, is binding on all Muslims who are rich enough: They must pay some small percentage of their wealth annually.

From New York Times • Apr. 9, 2019

By contrast, Rehman noted that the United Nations Development Programme operates on a budget of about 1 percent that of annual zakat donations.

From Slate • Aug. 17, 2018

"I know about zakat," said Belet, referring to the obligation to help the needy.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023