Verses that have instances of Zakat
There are 32 instances of “Zakat” in 19 suras of the Quran. Here are the details of the verses that have intances of “Zakat“. However, the instances that do not deal with “Zakat” are found in (18:81, 19:13 and 30:39):
[2:43] And you shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and bow down with those who bow down.
[2:83] And when we took the covenant of the Children of Israel: “You shall not worship except God, and be good with the parents and the relatives and the orphans and the needy, and speak to the people good, and observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata).” But you turned away, except a few of you, and you were the rejecters.
[2:110] And you shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with God. Indeed, God is seer of what you do.
[2:177] Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. The righteous is one who believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets, and gives the wealth with his love to those who are the near relatives, the orphans, the needy, the wayfarer, the beggars, and in freeing the slaves; and observes the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and gives the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata); and those who keep their pledge when they make it, and those who are patient in suffering and hardship, and the time of stress. Those are the ones who are the truthful, and those are the righteous.
Note: This verse has spelled out the criteria of how someone can be righteous through appropriate beliefs and practices.
[2:277] Those who believed and did righteous works, and observed the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and gave the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), they will have their reward with their Lord, and they have no fear, nor will they grieve.
[4:77] Have you not seen those to whom it was said: “Restrain yourselves (from fighting), and observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata).” Then when the fighting was decreed for them, then a group of them feared the people as much as they feared God or even greater fear. And they said: “Our Lord, why have You decreed the fighting for us?, if only You would delay for us till another time.” Say: “The enjoyment of the world is little, and the Hereafter is far better for whoever fears God; and you will not be wronged even in the least.”
[4:162] But those who are firm in knowledge among them and the believers believe in what is revealed to you (Muhammad) and what was revealed before you (Muhammad), and those who observe (wal-muqeemeena) the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and those who give (wal-mu’toona) the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and those who believe in God and the Last Day – those we will give them a great reward.
[5:12] And certainly, God took a covenant of the Children of Israel and raised from them twelve leaders, and God said: “I am with you if you observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and believe in My messengers, and support them, and give God a loan of righteousness; then I will surely remove your evil deeds from you and I will surely admit you into gardens with rivers flowing beneath them.” But whoever disbelieved after that among you, then certainly, he strayed from the right path.
[5:55] Your only ally is God and His messenger, and those who believe, and those who observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata), and those who give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and they are those who bow down.
[7:156] “And decree for us goodness in this world and in the Hereafter; indeed, we have turned to You.” He said: “My punishment, I afflict with it whom I will, but My mercy encompasses all things. So I will decree it for those who are righteous and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and those who believe in our revelations.”
[9:5] But when the sacred months have passed, then you may kill the idol worshippers wherever you find them, and attack and surround them, and make an ambush against them at every point. But if they repent, and observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata), and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), then you shall let them go to their way. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[9:11] But if they repent and observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), then they are your brethren in the religion. And we explain the revelations for a people who know.
[9:18] He only maintains God’s masjids whoever has believed in God and the Last Day, and has observed the Contact Prayer (al-salata), and has given the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and does not fear except God. Then he has been of those that they are among the guided ones.
[9:71] And the believing men and the believing women, they are allies to one another. They urge the right and forbid from the wrong, and they observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and they obey God and His messenger. God will have mercy on them; indeed, God is Almighty, Wise.
[19:31] “And He has made me (Jesus) blessed wherever I have been, and has enjoined me with the Contact Prayer (bil-salati) and the Obligatory Charity (wal-zakati) for as long as I have been alive.”
Note: This verse is a confirmation that Salat and Zakat are decreed for us as long as we are alive without leaving any opportunity to make up the missed prayer and to offer in charities on behalf of the deed while Ramadan Fasting is decreed for the believers who witness the month of Ramadan found in 2:185.
[19:55] And he (Ismail) used to enjoin his people with the Contact Prayer (bil-salata) and the Obligatory Charity (wal-zakata); and was pleasing to his Lord.
[21:73] And we made them leaders who guide by our command, and we inspired (wa-awhaynaa) to them doing of the good works and observance of the Contact Prayer (wa-iqaama al-salata) and giving of the Obligatory Charity (wa-itaa-a al-zakata), and they were worshipers to us.
[22:41] They are the ones if we establish them in the land, they observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and they give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and they enjoin the right and they forbid from the wrong. And to God is the end of all matters.
[22:78] And you shall strive in the cause of God as you should strive for His cause. He has chosen you and has placed no hardship on you in the religion – the religion of your father Abraham. He named you submitters from before and in this that the messenger may be a witness among you, and you may be witnesses among the people. So, you shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and hold fast to God; He is your Protector, the best Protector and the best Supporter.
[23:4] And those who are doers of Obligatory Charity (lilzzakati).
Note: One can be a righteous by giving Zakat regularly to those who really need it.
[24:37] People who are not distracted by business or trade from remembrance of God; and observance of the Contact Prayer (wa-iqaama al-salata) and giving of the Obligatory Charity (wa-itaa-a al-zakata). They fear a day in which the hearts and sight will be overturned.
[24:56] And you shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and obey the messenger so that you may receive mercy.
[27:3] Those who observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), while they are absolutely certain in the Hereafter.
[31:4] Those who observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), while they are absolutely certain in the Hereafter.
[33:33] And you shall settle down in your homes, and do not display yourselves like you displayed in the old days of ignorance. You shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata), and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and obey God and His messenger. God wishes to remove all unholiness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you completely.
[41:7] “Those who do not give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and with regard to the Hereafter, they are disbelievers.”
[58:13] Do you fear to offer in charities (sadaqaatin) before your consultation? So when you do not do and God has turned to you. Then you shall observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata), and obey God and His messenger. And God is fully aware of what you do.
[73:20] Your (Muhammad) Lord knows that you wake (taqoomu – 2nd person singular imperfect verb) a little less than two thirds of the night, and half of it, and one third of it, as well as a group of those who are with you. And God has designed the night and the day. He knows that you cannot do it consistently, so He has turned to you, so read what you can of the Quran. He knows that there will be sick among you, and others are traveling in the land seeking of God’s bounty, and others are fighting in the cause of God. So read what you can of it, and observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata) and loan God a loan of righteousness. And whatever of good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with God, it will be better and greater reward. And seek God’s forgiveness; surely, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
Note: The core message in the verse is to read the Quran in every night as much as we can if possible and to observe salat, to give zakat and to loan God a loan of righteousness, and He has let us know that we will find it with Him if we send forth any good for ourselves.
[98:5] And they were not commanded except to worship God being sincere, devoted the religion of monotheism to Him, and to observe the Contact Prayer (al-salata) and to give the Obligatory Charity (al-zakata). And that is the right religion.
Verses that have instances of zakat but do not refer to Zakat
[18:81] So we intended that their Lord would replace for them with one better than him in purity (zakatan) and nearer in affection.
[19:13] And he (John) had kindness from us and purity (wa-zakatan), and he was righteous.
[30:39] And what you lend for usury to increase in wealth of people will have no gain with God. But what you give to the charity (zakatin) seeking His pleasure, then those will get manifold.
Verses that have instances of haqq but refer to Zakat
[6:141] And He is the One who established gardens, trellised and untrellised, and dates, and crops with different tastes, and olives, and pomegranates – fruits that are similar, yet dissimilar. Eat from their fruits when they ripen, and give its due (wa-aatoo haqqahu) on the day of its harvest, and do not be extravagant. Indeed, He does not love the extravagant.
Note: Here is a reference to Zakat indicating to what is due to pay out when anyone has any income, and is an opportunity to be righteous to pay it out on a timely manner.
[17:26] And give the relative (wa-aati dha al-qur’baa) his due (haqquhu), and the poor, and the traveling alien; but do not spend excessively.
[30:38] So give the relative (fa-aati dha al-qurbaa) his due (haqquhu), and the poor, and the traveling alien. That is best for those who seek God’s pleasue, and they are the successful ones.
[51:19] And in their wealth there was a portion (haqqun) for the beggars and the deprived. “wa-fee am’walihim haqqun lilssaa-e-li wal-mahruumi” (Revelation order 67)
[70:24-25] And those who have in their wealth a known portion (haqqun ma’luumun). “wa-alladheena fee am’waalihim haqqun maluumun” for the beggars and the deprived “lilssaa-e-li wal-mahruumi”. (Revelation Order 79)
Note: The message starts in (70:24) is carried to 70:25 to complete it.
It is noteworthy that both 51:19 and 70:24 talk about a portion in our wealth for the needy but 70:24 specifies a definite portion, which is 2.5% passed down to us from the time of prophet Ibrahim as given by God.
Verses that have instances of anfaqa support Zakat
[2:215] They ask you (prophet) what should they spend (yunfiquun)? Say, “Whatever good you have spent (anfaqtum) is for the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, and the traveling alien.” And whatever good you do, then indeed, God is Knower of it.
Note: The recipients of Zakat are mentioned in the verse 17:26, which is further clarified in this verse being later revelation, and in the expression “They ask you what they should spend” has an indication of it. Thus, this verse supports Zakat without being part of the core commands of Zakat.
[3:134] Those who spend (yunfiquun) during ease as well as hardship, and those who restrain anger, and those who pardon people – and God loves the good doers (al-muh’sineen).
Note: The overall expression and the use of Arabic word, al-muh’sineen at the end of the verse is an indication that this verse supports Zakat being spending for others a trait of the good doers.
Conclusion
From this review we learn that out of 29 verses that talk about Zakat, 26 verses indicate commandment of Zakat, 2 verses indicate its importance and 1 indicates our opprtunity to be righteous through giving it. In addition, there are also 5 verses having instances of haqq that have close connection with Zakat with regard to its recipients, portion of income to be given, even as our opportunity to be righteous while there are 2 other verses having the instances of yunfiquun support Zakat practice clarifying recipients and income. Thus, if we carefully review these 36 verses in the Quran that directly or indirectly shading light on Zakat, we would have clear understading that Muslims are required to fulfill this obligation paying a specific portion from their income when they have at any circumstances whether they have low or high income.
Tafazzal