Zakat (Paying Alms)

I was asked about the sentence “aqiimus salaat wa atuuz zakat” (they fulfill their Salaat and pay Alms), a statement often mentioned in the Koran al Karim:

“—What is the reason that these two rules come one after another? One of them is supposed to be our spiritual obligation (duty) for Allah, the other, our worldly obligation for servants?.. What kind of relation do those two actions have that they are always mentioned together?”

Let me explain it at the extent as Allah bestowed on me its science...

There is an understanding assigned to “Mawlawiness,” which is known as “receiving from Haqq to give (deliver) to people”... This understanding is symbolized in Mawlawiyya with the motion of “whirling” known as “sema.”

The position of arms and hands is the most important point in whirling, which some of Mawlawis practice by imitating Mawlana Jelaluddin... The right arm is positioned uplifted with the right palm facing the sky upward, while the left arm suspends rather loosely with about 75 degree angle to the body, the left palm facing the ground with fingers opened (spaced).

Here, such a display represents the act of “receiving from Haqq with the right hand and delivering to people through the left hand!” A speedy whirling represents the fade away of what the eyes used to observe (the eyes' physical observation), that is the disappearance of the transitory world means (resources-values) to attain an experience of ascendance (uruj) to an understanding of the name “Allah”!

“Salaat” is understood as an ascendance (uruj) to Haqq in a dimensional sense, while Zakat means delivering what is received from Haqq, to people!

Hence, we will see that such two actions are integrated.

Allah is the possessor of “rahm,” being “Rahman” and “Rahim.” Hu produces and maintains, shields (watches over) what Hu produced; until the time of unfoldment comes for them. Then Hu unfolds them. This is Hu's rahmet!

Everything is created and produced through the Rahm of Allah in this way.

The universe and our “universe” (kainat) as one of the “universes” were created from within Allah's quality of “rahmat.” Allah “produces” and brings to existence unconditionally.

Some of Hu's production originates (comes) from Rahman. Such a production is a “nimat” (blessing) that comes as mixed with suffering (hardship). Another portion of Hu's production comes from Rahim, which comes as pure “nimat...”

An understanding of Bismillah as we could perceive, is also as the following: “Bismillah'ir Rahman'ir Rahim.”

“I put forth with the rahmet of what the name Allah instructs and what the reality of my being is; that even though such a rahmet may be mixed with some suffering in one aspect, it is ultimately a pure rahmet and brings happiness...”

“Mother,” in this sense, is the symbol on earth, of the Ultimate Being denoted by the name “Allah.”

It is “mother” who produces and gives unconditionally! Mother, too, possesses “rahim” [“rahim” is also the name given to mother's womb in Turkish] and she produces her baby therein. She then bestows nimat on her baby from the perspective of “rahmanness,” by means of reprimanding, bringing it up for its bad behavior, punishing, putting unpleasant rules it dislikes... All is still for the good of the baby! On the other hand, she feeds her baby, wears it, walks (take out walking) in the most pleasant way, from the perspective of “rahimness”!

Allah donates what Hu created and brought forth from Hu's “Rahm” unconditionally at every moment, while a mother gives (feeds) what she produces in her womb, all along its lifetime unconditionally.

RasulAllah Mohammed Mustafa (peace be upon him) warns us in the following way:

“Identify yourself with the character traits of Allah (al-takhulluq bi akhlâk Allah) !”

Zakat is to deliver unconditionally through attaining the character traits of Allah. To pay Zakat is in a way to attain the character traits of Allah.

Zakat is to donate what is in your possession. Its least scale is one fortieth or 2.5 per cent of what you possess.

Limitless (uncountable) is “zakat” given by the One who is limitless...

Limited is the amount, however considered by those who feels limited, as to what is given under the title “zakat”!

Human's paying Zakat is the action of “donating (delivering) to people what is received from Haqq.”

Based on the operatives of the system and its order that Allah established, whatever you deliver unconditionally as “zakat” from what you received from Haqq, returns to you in like kind in multiple quantities.

I was asked once: “A lot of rich man pay Alms in great amounts, they deliver money, clothes, food and they make buildings. But none of them advances (progress) in spiritual sciences, none reaches “spiritual awareness” (irfan), they do not advance to spirituality! What is the reason of it?”

The system at the constitution set by Allah is known as “whatever we deliver returns to us in like kind in multiple quantities!”

If you deliver money, it will be money that returns to you in multiple quantities; if it is “building,” you are given buildings: if it is science, you are given science. If you deliver ilm-i batin (science of the inward dimension), or spirituality, you are given the related kind of advancements (richness).

If you wish to take part in spirituality through delivering material donations, you should at least give (communicate to) people spiritual sciences as your “zakat” by means of books, tapes or conversations. You should donate (communicate to) them related sciences so that the doors to spiritual advancements are opened up for you.

Some may ask: “Do you mean we should not pay money but instead deliver science and conversations as our zakat?”

Why is it?

I will briefly explain it also:

As a principle of the system and order established by Allah, every action and perception of a human in life is realized by the agency of his brain.

Brain attains upgrading (betterment) and its perception develops in areas of matter that it is strongly assigned to.

The action of giving creates a betterment (an expansion) in related capability of the brain. A group of brain cells grows and develops in brain as a source of each action that person produces, and the cells assigned to (put in action for) that behavior increase in number.

This is the reason behind the suggestion that “You should practice even if you do not make out its meaning”! Actions exert influence on brain's upgrading and create new capabilities.

As a final word... You will be repaid your zakat in multiple quantities in ways and on purposes for which you have paid your zakat. If you are concerned about material purposes, the return will alike be material; if spiritual, the return will alike be the same.

This essential point must be carefully considered by those who wish to reach wisdom (ilm), which is the honor of humanity and a brilliant crown for people.