The word zakat means ‘to purify’ and it represents
the charity that all the well-off enough muslims have to give
in order to purify their possessions.
Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam together with fasting,
the sacred pilgrimage, prayer and the testimony of faith.
Zakat is the 2,5%, the fortieth part of the surplus of what we need to live for a year,
and it is a tradition, a duty, a pleasure and a honor to offer it,
to help those who have less than us,
to remind us how lucky we are to live in a country without war,
to have a roof over our head and to have enough to live
and to dress honorably and even more.
It may be donated to people or projects that are close to our hearts.
The holy month of Ramadan is also the month of generosity.
It is a tradition to offer it before the month of Ramadan ends,
because in this sacred month the gates of Paradise are open
and every good deed is amplified.
Then there is Zakat ul Fitr, the offer of Ramadan,
which has to be donated before Eid ul Firt,
the celebration of the end of Ramadan, and concerns also those
who cannot offer the real zakat; it corresponds to the price of 1 kilo of wheat,
about 10 €, which has to be paid for each single member of your family.
