Zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary threshold of wealth to purify it by helping those in need. It is the third of Islam’s five pillars, following Belief and the formation of Prayer. The fundamental concept of Zakat is that our wealth belongs to Allah, that He has given it to us, and that it is, therefore, to be spent and cleansed in accordance with His direction and rules. The small percentage of our yearly savings that is payable as Zakat is considered supplementary and, hence, more suitable from a purely economic perspective. In addition, Zakat is a divine method of alleviating poverty and fostering a more equal society in which no one goes without food, shelter, or necessities of life. Remember that Zakat is different from ordinary Sadaqah (charity) in that it is compulsory. Another distinction is that, unlike Sadaqah, it can only be paid into one of eight clearly defined categories listed in the Holy Qur’an. At Alkhidmat Welfare UK we have various causes or projects that are Zakat-eligible and will only help those in severe need.