zakat

American  

[zuh-kaht] / zəˈkɑt /

Also zakah

noun

Islam.

1. 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.

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zakat British  

/ zaˈkat /

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of zakat

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

Example Sentences

One day, a group of militants phoned him and demanded he pay zakat—an Islamic tithe—in the amount of $1,000.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

It is during Ramadan that many Pakistanis donate their religiously prescribed yearly zakat, or alms, often giving them to charitable organizations that prepare ration packets for distribution among the poor.

From New York Times

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

From Literature

Islam calls on Muslims to set aside 2.5 percent of their accumulated wealth each year for zakat, said Khalid Latif, the executive director of the Islamic Center at New York University.

From New York Times