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What Exactly Is Zakat? – Meaning, Importance, Eligibility, And Facing

In Islam, there are five essential pillars: shahada, salat, zakat, sawm, and hajj. Every Muslim is obligated to follow these five pillars and live life with pure hearts. If you’re wondering what zakat is, it’s the third pillar of Islam that requires people to do charity and give a portion of their wealth to the poor and needy. It is a way of praying and living life in accordance with Allah’s will. Although not everyone is required to make an annual donation, those who are eligible can pay zakat as a religious obligation. What is zakat: zakat meaning Zakat literally means “to increase,” and technically, “that which purifies.” As a result, it is a fundamental Islamic tenet that purifies an individual’s yearly earnings. It must be donated on excess wealth, which includes money in a bank account or at home, gold/silver possession, agricultural produce, livestock earnings, and profits from stocks and investments. As a result, it frees a person from greed and selfishness. It is a method of achieving and maintaining social harmony. Importance of zakat The importance of zakat is mentioned more than 80 times in the Quran. It requires a person to be sincere in its proper calculation and donation. Their faith brings them closer to Allah, the only source of truth in the world. It is a critical factor in maintaining social order and eliminating beggary. Furthermore, a balanced distribution of wealth between the rich and poor eliminates social evils such as slavery, exploitation, and crime. The basic idea behind annual donations is to promote brotherhood and Muslim unity throughout the world in the name of Allah, the Almighty. Types of Zakat Zakat Hadith Charity is a more profitable investment than any other system. In a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Allah mentions the benefits of profits: “If one gives in charity what equals (the size of) one date fruit from honestly-earned money, and Allah accepts only honestly-earned money -Allah takes it in His right (hand) and then enlarges its reward for that person (who has given it), as anyone of you brings up his baby horse to the size of a mountain.” – Sahih Bukhari, Vol 2, Book 24, No. 491 Benefits of zakat 01: Charity in the name of Allah has numerous implications and benefits for both the individual and the society in which they live. Among these are: Unification in Allah’s cause: According to a hadith, an Angel prays to Allah to provide for the person who donates to the divine cause. The donation brings two paths together: one led by an individual and one shown by Allah. 02: Protection from hellfire: Allah loves the righteous and those who obey Him completely. According to Islamic scholars, a person who donates wealth on time is safe from hellfire, and Allah provides a home on Judgment Day. 03: Encourage a sense of belonging in a society: Donation lays the groundwork for equitable wealth distribution and helps the poor and needy. As a result, it eliminates the social distinction between rich and poor and makes every individual, as Allah created them, equal to each other. Zakat Rules Every Muslim must be aware of several basic rules regarding annual donations. As a result, the following are the essential rules for paying the annual donation: Who is eligible for zakat? Individuals must donate wealth as a responsibility if their annual income exceeds a certain threshold. From then on, the individual must donate their wealth every year. Charity should not be postponed because it is an individual obligation. Furthermore, the head of the family is required to pay Zakat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan. Every fasting member of the family must pay Zakat al-Fitr in the form of money or food equal to the member’s one-day fasting. Nisab Meaning The smallest amount of a person’s wealth at which they are eligible to pay Zakat. The total nisab is calculated differently for different wealth sources and assets. Furthermore, if an individual’s wealth falls below the nisab at any point during the zakat year, the year’s calculation will be restarted once the wealth exceeds the nisab. Who is eligible to receive zakat? There are eight categories of people who can receive donated wealth. These are: How to calculate Zakat To calculate it, first determine your Zakatable income. Muslims can calculate their total income by adding all sources of income such as gold and silver, cash, stocks, shares, real estate, and so on. Now, one must calculate their annual needs and living expenses. The expenses must now be deducted from the total income to determine the total Zakatable amount. If the amount is greater than the nisab, the Zakatable wealth is multiplied by the Zakat percentage to determine the individual’s yearly donation. However, if the Zakatable amount is less than nisab, the donation is not required. How to calculate zakat on salary Zakat on salary is calculated based on how much one is able to save as wealth rather than how much one earns. As a result, one should calculate zakat based on their salary savings. If the savings exceed nisab, the donor must be paid. If an individual’s salary is not consistent, the total amount saved over the year can be calculated and the obligatory donation paid accordingly. Zakat facts To put it simply, Zakat is an obligation imposed on Muslims to protect the poor from the evils of greed and riches. It is a method of maintaining social balance and order by eliminating immoral and sinful acts and replacing them with goodness and truth. Pay the obligatory donation according to your ability and contribute to the restoration of Ummah’s prosperity. Zakat FAQs Can an individual give zakat to family members? Yes, one can donate wealth to family members if the member falls in the receiving criteria. What is nisab? The threshold of wealth above which one has to pay obligatory donation is nisab. What is Zakat al-Fitr? It is the charity performed by the head of the family at

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PAKISTAN’S DISASTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION Pakistan is a densely populated third-world country that is underdeveloped. An examination of DM policies and System states “It covers a total land area of 796,095 square kilometres and is located between latitudes 24 and 37 degrees north and longitudes 62 and 75 degrees east.” Because of its diverse land and climatic conditions, Pakistan is vulnerable to a variety of disasters. The earthquake-prone provinces of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Balochistan, and AJK are particularly vulnerable to disasters. Floods plague Punjab and Sindh, particularly in low-lying areas. Every year, the populace suffers a massive loss of life and property as a result of one or more natural disasters. DISASTERS CANNOT BE AVOIDED However, the resulting damage can be significantly reduced with a well-planned approach to DM. Following years of unfortunate experiences, the government has taken some steps to address these ongoing challenges. Although governing bodies for DM has been established, it is clear from recent disasters that much more needs to be done to mitigate losses and alleviate the suffering of people in affected areas. Disasters are perceived to be the result of inadequate and incompetent risk management.  As a result of a combination of hazards and vulnerabilities, these risks arise. Hazards that strike areas with low vulnerability will never become disasters, as they do in less populated areas. Natural disasters can halt years of urban development by destroying infrastructure and resulting in massive human and material losses. According to one report, “over 90% of disaster victims worldwide are residents of developing countries,” and the resulting losses and damages are approximately twenty times greater in developing countries than in developed countries. In addition to natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, incidents such as fires, train accidents, and industrial accidents occur in Pakistan, causing significant damage. If proper procedures are in place, the magnitude of destruction caused by such disasters can be significantly reduced. However, it has been observed that there is a lack of planning and coordination among the various agencies/setups responsible for dealing with such situations in general. Furthermore, when a disaster of this magnitude occurs in the country, critical resource deficiencies are brought to light. In addition to the deficiencies mentioned above, which generally occur in the domain of government, a general lack of public awareness is a major factor contributing to an incident or accident entering the realm of Disaster. Knowledge of DM is the only effective way to ensure the full participation of the general public [3]. As a result, any DM Regime is only effective when the general public is made aware of the disaster. DM is all about employing deft ways and methods of disaster control. While disasters occur frequently in Pakistan, only the most significant ones have been identified and will be discussed further. These have been classified according to their scope and gravity, with those requiring the participation of all relief agencies, including armed forces, and those requiring only the intervention of one or a few concerned agencies. Similarly, those on a larger scale are classified as disasters, while those on a smaller scale are classified as crises. CHALLENGES FACED BY PAKISTAN NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS: As previously stated, Pakistan, as a developing and densely populated country, is vulnerable to a wide range of natural and man-made disasters. The most important ones are discussed in the following paragraphs. SEISMIC ACTIVITY: Pakistan is located in an earthquake-prone seismic zone, so earthquakes are likely to occur frequently. The Himalayas, Hindu Kush, and Karakoram mountain ranges are particularly vulnerable. The earthquake risk is exacerbated by Pakistan’s location on the eastern margin of the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. As a result, major earthquakes are possible in the north, where the Indian Plate thrusts beneath the Himalayas, and along the country’s western edge, while the transverse motion of the Indian Plate relative to the Iranian and Afghan microplates results in the Chaman fault. The Arabian Plate subducts beneath the Iranian Plate along the Makran Coast, where a 7.9 magnitude earthquake in 1945 caused a tsunami with 12-metre-high waves. FLOODING Floods are typically caused by high to moderate-intensity rainfall over a sufficiently long period of time. According to S. Sreekesh, “Flooding can also occur due to dam or reservoir failure or improper management of high water level conditions in reservoirs and consequent sudden release of the water, particularly during periods of high-intensity rainfall.” Pakistan is prone to floods as a result of heavy rains during the monsoon season, with the province of Punjab being the most vulnerable. These floods have also severely impacted the Katcha area of Sindh Province. Flash floods have recently occurred in Khyber Pakhtun Khawa (KPK), Balochistan, and Sindh. Coastal floods are uncommon in Sindh and Balochistan; however, the one in 2004 caused extensive damage, including the washing away of the coastal highway [5,6]. Despite the fact that the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has installed a telemetric system at each barrage and other flow control points to provide useful flood forecasting, there are no worthwhile flood management arrangements in place. Irrigation and planning departments work in isolation, with little emphasis on working together to manage a disaster. Inadequate means at the disposal of provincial governments, such as power boats, life-saving equipment, relief rations, epidemic control medical, and so on, eventually places the entire burden on the Armed Forces. Table 2.0 shows major floods and their effects. CYCLONES IN THE TROPICS: Cyclones are most common between April and May, and from October to December. According to one study, “cyclonic storms cannot be avoided; only the loss of life and property damage can be mitigated if prompt action is taken after receiving timely warnings.” Cyclones can wreak havoc on the coastal belts of Balochistan and Sindh. From 1971 to 2001, 14 cyclones were recorded.  Droughts. Generally, these occur when a region receives consistently below-average precipitation. Balochistan, parts of Sindh, and south-eastern Punjab experience very little rainfall. As a result, these areas are the most vulnerable to drought. Annual water waste of 27 MAF into

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