
Zakat Eligibility regarding our various human rights campaigns, programs and work is detailed as follows:
Justice For All is Zakat eligible since our work falls within four of the seven categories of Zakat as commanded by God in the Quran in the following verse (Quran 9:60):
إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
“Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakat] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves/prisoners] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded/refugees] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise”.
The first and second category of “poor (fuqara) and the needy (masakeen)” applies since we are opening doors via our advocacy campaigns to ensure that policies and mechanisms are put in place so that the necessary underlying conditions and procedures necessary for humanitarian aid to be delivered to and reach those in need can take place.
The third category “freeing captive (reqaab)” applies since we, through our prisoners of conscience (Haqq), are continuing to work for the release and freedom of thousands of Palestinian children (boys and girls) who are arbitrarily arrested and imprisoned through the Israeli Military Court System. In many of these cases without charges, due process, right to legal representation, appeal and many of these children are subjected to torture which is both immoral and in contradiction to International Law. Our prisoners of Haqq (conscience) program also works to free Muslim political prisoners in India and Kashmir and assist their families during the process. Given the current context of Muslim prisoners around the world, the zakat can be used with any aspect of work related to freeing the prisoners. Of course, there is no guarantee that the prisoner will be released, however the zakat money can go towards working towards that goal insha Allah.
The seventh category “the cause of Allah (fee sabeel lillah)” applies because our work is to save human life which Islam’s teaching and the Quran place the highest premium on saving human life, as Allah commands in the Quran (5:32):
مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَٰلِكَ كَتَبْنَا عَلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنَّهُۥ مَن قَتَلَ نَفْسًۢا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًۭا ۚ وَلَقَدْ جَآءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنْهُم بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
“That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity. ˹Although˺ Our messengers already came to them with clear proofs, many of them still transgressed afterwards through the land”. Saing and preservation of human life (hifzul nafs) is also one of the five – goals of Maqasid Shariah (Islamis Sacred Law).
Numerous Muslim scholars have concluded that Zakat is payable to organizations like Justice For All that exist to serve the Muslim community by protecting their human rights, and this is especially true in the cases when the rights of and lives of vulnerable Muslims minorities experiencing are at stake and hence can be classified as “fee sabeel lillah”.
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You can donate Zakat/Sadaqa on-line through our website donation page https://justiceforall.org/donate
or send checks written for Justice For All, 27 E Monroe St #700, Chicago, IL 60603
Please be generous and DONATE TODAY for more work for Palestine, Rohingya, Ughyur, India, Kashmir. You can specify any one of our human rights campaigns that you would like to contribute toward or in general to the overall work of Justice For All.
Justice For All is tax-exempt under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible in the United States for federal and state income tax purposes. Our US Federal Tax number is 36-4293503
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or require additional information.
