Q1: Zakat occupies a position of fundamental importance in the

Islamic economic System, Explain in detail with reference to system

of distributive justice.
What Is Zakat?
Zakat is an Islamic finance term referring to the obligation that an individual
has to donate a certain proportion of wealth each year to charitable causes.
How Zakat Works in the Islamic economic System
Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the others being declaration of
faith, prayer, fasting during Ramadan, and the Hajj pilgrimage. It is a
compulsory procedure for Muslims earning above a certain threshold and
should not be confused with Sadaqah, the act of voluntarily giving
charitable gifts out of kindness or generosity.
Religious texts offer comprehensive descriptions of the minimum amount of
zakat that should be distributed to those less fortunate. It generally varies,
depending on whether wealth came from farm produce, cattle, business
activities, paper currency, or precious metals, such as gold and silver.
Zakat is based on income and the value of possessions. The common
minimum amount for those who qualify is 2.5%, or 1/40 of a Muslim’s total
savings and wealth.
Zakat is often paid out at the end of the year once calculations on any
leftover wealth are made. Recipients are the poor and needy, struggling
Muslim converts, slaves, people in debt, soldiers fighting to protect the
Muslim community, and those stranded during their travels. The collectors
of zakat are also compensated for the work they do.
Zakat is considered to be a mandatory type of tax, although not all Muslims
abide. In many countries with large Muslim populations, individuals can
choose whether or not to pay zakat.
That is not the case for countries such as Libya, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi
Arabia, Sudan, and Yemen. Those who fail to pay zakat in places where it
is compulsory
are treated like tax evaders and warned that they will face God’s
punishment on Judgment Day.
Zakat vs. Nisab
Nisab is a term that often appears alongside zakat. It is a threshold,
referring to the minimum amount of wealth and possessions that a Muslim
must own before being obligated to pay zakat. In other words, if personal
wealth is below the nisab during one lunar year, no zakat is owed for that
peNisab

The Islamic view of “distributive justice” includes the following

Three elements.
1. Guarantee of fulfillment of the basic needs to all;
2. Equity but not equality in personal incomes; and
3. Elimination of extreme inequalities in personal income and
Wealth.
According to Islamic principle, all things belong to Allah and that wealth is
held by human beings in trust. The word Zakat means ‘purification’ and
‘growth’. Our possessions are purified when we give a proportion for those
in need and this act of giving balances and encourages new growth in our
economy. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakat separately

Importance of zakat
The vital importance of Zakat is reflected as the law of Allah: “My mercy
encompasses all things, but I will specify it for the righteous who give
Zakat.”
(The Quran: verses: 7:156).
Zakat has to be carefully calculated and given away on a regular basis
whenever we receive any income. Government taxes should be deducted,
but not other expenses such as debts, mortgages, and living expenses. If
one does not know any needy person, he or she may give the Zakat to a
mosque or charitable organization with the distinct purpose of helping the
poor and sick. Charities given to mosques or hospitals or organizations can
be considered obligatory as Sadaqa.
Again in the Quran in (verses: 3:92), it is mentioned “You cannot attain
righteousness until you give to charity from the possessions you love.
Whatever you give to charity, the Almighty is fully aware thereof.”
Whatever we give charity should be what we would accept if it were offered
to us. Many people give away only those items which they feel are not
good enough for themselves. The Quran clarifies this and has forbidden
such acts as mentioned in (verses: 2:267) “You who believe, you shall give
to charity from the good things you earn, and from what we have produced
for you from the earth. Do not pick out the bad therein to give away, when
you yourselves do not accept it unless your eyes are closed. You should
know that Almighty is Rich, Praiseworthy.”
All these verses clearly tell us what we should do while performing charity.
While giving charity we should be selfless, straightforward and eliminate
our ego. Our life on earth is only decided by Allah and death can come at
any moment and we cannot ask for more time. Hence every opportunity
should be used to do righteous deeds and we should give to charity from
the abundance that Allah has granted us.

Q 2: Allah Almighty sent prophets to lead mankind out of darkness

into the light, Discuss the necessity and significance of prophet along
with their exclusive Characteristics.

Necessity of Prophet
Even though people can understand the existence and oneness of Allah
with their minds, they cannot comprehend His names and attributes and
cannot know how to worship Him. They cannot comprehend the affairs
related to the hereafter and the responsibility in the hereafter. They are in
need of being informed about those issues by Allah.
Allah sent prophets in order to meet those needs of people. When people
did not know anything, they learned everything, every art and skill from
prophets. Prophets also taught people the ways of being happy and living
peacefully in the world and in the hereafter, the principles of getting on well
with one another and the rules of ethics and good manners.
Imam Ghazali states the following regarding the issue:
“Man cannot discriminate between lethal poison and useful medicine and
he needs a doctor or chemist; he cannot know the beliefs and the deeds
that will save him in the world and in the hereafter on his own, either. He
cannot discriminate between the things that will lead him to disasters from
the things that will lead him to happiness. He certainly needs a guide. And
that guide is a prophet.”8
Badiuzzaman says the following regarding the issue:
“The divine power, which does not leave ants without a leader and bees
without a queen, will definitely not leave human beings without a prophet.”
9
Nothing in the universe, especially in the realm of living beings has been
left purposeless, dutiless, systemless and even guideless. It is possible to
see it in pieces or as a whole. Neither the bees are queenless, nor are ants
leaderless.
Since guides are not neglected for all of the other creatures, is it possible
for man, who is regarded as superior by both the religion and science, to be
left without Prophets, who are essential guides? That is, is it possible to
imagine the humankind without prophets or books?” Certainly not…
After this short introduction, the need or necessity for prophets can be
understand as follows:
Ensuring Order and Justice in Society:
The law and order in the community, the peace and happiness of the
individuals, the prevention of oppression and injustice depend on the
existence of the institution of Prophethood.
The intellects of single members of society are incapable of comprehending
justice, the human race as a whole needs a general or universal intellect to
establish from which all may benefit. And that intellect is the universal law,
and that law is the Shari’a. Then in order to preserve the effectiveness of
the Shari’a and its enforcement, a law-maker is necessary, someone to lay
claim to it and to promulgate it, an authority, and that is the Prophet
(PBUH).
Then, in order to perpetuate his outward and inward domination over
people’s minds and hearts, the Prophet needs to be eminently superior
both physically and spiritually and morally, and in conduct and appearance,
and by nature and in character. He is in need, too, of proof of the strength
of his relation with the Creator, and such a proof is his miracles.
Teaching man the reason why he was created and informing him
about religious decrees:
As it is stated in the Quran the purpose and wisdom of man’s creation and
being sent down to the world is to know his Creator, to believe in Him and
to worship Him.
The mind cannot understand the aim of the creation on its own. Even if we
accept that man can understand the existence of God Almighty with his
mind as some scholars of Kalam claim, he cannot understand how to
worship Him and how to please Him on his own. Therefore, prophets are
necessary.
God Almighty informed His distinguished servants that He chose among
human beings about all of His orders and prohibitions. They practiced
those decrees themselves first and then conveyed them to other people,
making them know the Creator of the universe.14
Blocking the Ways of Objection to Allah:
It is stated in the Quran that each tribe and nation was definitely sent a
prophet that gave them the glad tidings of the mercy of Allah and warned
them about the torture of Allah.
One of the reasons why each nation was sent a prophet like that is stated
as follows in the Quran: “Messengers who gave good news as well as
warning, that mankind, after (the coming) of the messengers should have
no plea against Allah: for Allah is Exalted in Power.
An important reason of the existence of the institution of Prophethood is to
understand that the nations that were not sent Prophets or the people who
did not know about the existence of prophets – they are called the people
of interregnum – will not be held responsible. As a matter of fact, the
following verse explains the issue more clearly:
“Nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a messenger (to give
warning).” Al Quran
The Situation of the People of Interregnum:
When the scholars of Islam use the term “the period of Interregnum” they
usually mean the period between Hazrat Eesa (Jesus) (PBUH) and Hazrat
Muhammad (PBUH). The people who lived during the period that lasted
more than six hundred years are called “the people of Interregnum”.
A short time after the death of Jesus, the original Christianity was changed;
it was no longer a religion of oneness; the light of the true religion was
veiled. During the period between that event and the emergence of the
Messenger of Allah, people living in many places in the world, primarily the
Arabian Peninsula, were unaware of prophets and the true religion.

Importance of Prophethood
Risalah is the Arabic word for message. It refers to ‘Prophethood’ and
represents the various ways Allah communicates with humanity.
Islam teaches that Allah wants to help people to live good lives, so he
sends messages to guide them on how to do so. Many of these messages
are found in the Qur’an. Muslims believe that messages from Allah are
communicated through prophets.
The prophets are the connection between Allah and humanity.
There are 25 named prophets in the Qur’an, although many believe there
may have been as many as 124,000.
All of the prophets are considered to be equal: We make no distinction
between any of them (Qur’an 2:136).
Allah chose the prophets to reveal his truth. They are responsible for the
revelation.
Messages from Allah were sent to the prophets using malaikah.
These messages are recorded in the holy books.
The prophets performed miracles, which proved they really were prophets.
In the Qur’an, Allah warns against ignoring the messages given by the
prophets:
“And We did certainly give Moses the Scripture [ie the Torah] and followed
up after him with messengers. And we gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear
proofs and supported him with the Pure Spirit [ie the angel Gabriel]. But is it
[not] that every time a messenger came to you, [O children of Israel], with
what your soul did not desire, you were arrogant? And a party [of
messengers] you denied and another party you killed” Qur’an 2:87
The Qur’an states that people who attack, or even just ignore, the prophets
will be cursed by Allah.
All prophets received the same message about there being one God, which
shows that Allah is unchanging. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the
final prophet, which is why he is referred to as the Seal of the Prophets.

Characteristics and qualities of prophets

Following are the characteristics of Prophets:-

1. Sidq (Loyalty): All prophets tell the truth about the news that they
receive from Allah. Telling lies is impossible for them.
2. Amanah (Trust): Prophets are reliable and trustworthy people regarding
fulfilling the duties that Allah gave them. Breach of trust is impossible for
them. 
3. Tabligh (Conveying): Prophets convey the orders that are revealed to
them by Allah to their nations exactly, without missing or adding anything. It
is not in question for them to hide the news or to change it. Kitman, that is,
the property of hiding the news is not present in prophets. 
4. Fatanah (Intelligence): Prophets have a superior mind and intelligence,
a strong memory, a superior logic and ability of persuasion.  Prophets have
nothing to do with qualities like madness, heedlessness and ignorance.
5. Ismah (Innocence): Prophets are free from all kinds of sins, whether
secret or open, faults, bad deeds, and acts that are not suitable for
prophets. People should not even think that prophets could commit sins.
6. Mu’jiza (miracle): Allah gave all of His prophets the quality to produce
some extraordinary things or events in order to enable them to prove that
they are right and to cope with the objections and the obstinacy of the
deniers. They are called miracles. Miracles are supernatural events. They
are supernatural events that take place based on the power of Allah not
prophets; for instance, the parting of the Red Sea by Hazrat Musa (Moses