Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam, and also an act of worship. It literally means 'to purify'. By donating a small part of one's assets to those in need, a Muslim purifies his/her wealth and makes the wealth gained pleasing to Allah.

Zakat is not only a means to purify one’s wealth but it is also a spiritual purification which serves as a means to draw an individual closer to God. As one of the scholars said, “the soul of one who gives zakat is blessed and so is his wealth”. It is quite clear from the above narration that in addition to being a moral obligation, Zakat is also a spiritual one which is why millions of Muslims every year give Zakat to the poor.

'In their wealth there is a known share for the beggars and the destitute.’ (70:24-25)

All Muslim adults who are sane of mind and possess the nisab (i.e. the minimum amount of wealth held for a year) should pay Zakat.

The nisab is determined by the current value of gold or silver. While we encourage everyone to use the silver nisab value because it is the safest opinion and increases charity for those in need, it is ultimately up to the Zakat giver to determine which value they prefer to use. Our nisab values are updated daily making our calculator one of the safest ways to calculate your Zakat online.

Your Zakat is calculated based off the net assets you have at the end of a one-year period. To calculate how much Zakat you owe, please use the calculator form found above.

Penny Appeal USA uses Zakat funds to help poor communities both in the USA and in isolated and remote corners of the world. We assist them when emergencies and natural disasters befall them through providing water, food and shelter. We also use Zakat funds for development projects such as providing communities with a source of income and providing them the skills and tools needed to get back on their feet.