Is Zakat 20% ?

[Mohammed]

Dear All,
Assalaamu 'Alaikum.

I would like to share some of my understanding about Zakat from the Qur'an.

[Al Qur'an 20:18] He said: "It is my stick/cane, I lean on/support myself on it, and I hit/move/shake with it on my sheep and goats, and for me in it others needs/purposes."

Here, the root gh-n-m denotes sheeps and goats.
Since, in the ancient times, cultivation or livestock farming were the major sources of income, gh-n-m may denote the property/income.

So, the verse 8:41 can be an explanation for the Zakat that an individual have to pay (Since same root gh-n-m used there)

[Al Qur'an 8:41] "And know that what you acquired/ gained/ obtained, from a thing, that to God its fifth and to the messenger and (those) of the relations/near, and the orphans, and the poorest of poor/poor oppressed, and the traveler/stranded traveler... "

Many exegetes interpret as, the root gh-n-m denotes booty/spoils of war, but The Quran itself declared that the spoils from war belonged entirely to Allah and the messenger.
[Al Qur'an 8:1] " They ask/question you about the spoils/gifts (n-f-l), Say: "The spoils/gifts (are) to God and the messenger..." [59:6&7 further explanation]

So 20% from any gain of an individual is for the society (for the mentioned categories) and the spoils of war is also for the society (for the mentioned categories).
And Allah knows best.

[Duster]

Shalom / peace Mohammed.... brother Joseph has already covered this in a detailed article which you may find interesting including the mention of 20% .....>>>

http://quransmessage.com/articles/zakah%20FM3.htm

[Mohammed]

Thank you Duster, After finding this article only I started the analysis on gh-n-m , Thank you brother Joseph