Zakat Prescribed as Obligation

Zakat, the obligatory annual charity, was prescribed as a pillar of Islam in the second year of Hijrah, though the concept of charity had been mentioned in Meccan revelations. The specific rates were established: 2.5% on savings and trade goods, varying rates on agricultural produce, livestock, and minerals. Zakat serves as a social welfare system, purifying wealth and addressing poverty. The Prophet appointed collectors and established the eight categories of recipients as detailed in Surah at-Tawbah (9:60).