zakat (zakāt)

(Language: Arabic)

Short Description: “alms” for the poor, which is a tithe levied upon the wealth and property of Muslims

Long Description: The third of the “five pillars” of Islam. The zakāt is a tithe levied upon the wealth and property of Muslims which is distributed to the poorer members of society. It is not obligatory for non-Muslims living in Islamic societies

Sources: Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, edited by Dr. Joseph Lumbard