Difference between Zakat and a tax 1. A tax is levied on all the citizens of the state while Zakat is levied only on the Muslim members of the society. 2. Zakat is a compulsory payment which must be paid by the Muslims and tax is also a compulsory payment but it is remittable by the government of the state. The Zakat is not remit tenable. 3. Zakat has a religious sanctity behind it because it is one of the five pillars of Islam. But a tax is a compulsory contribution to the state to cover the cost of services rendered by it for the general benefit of the people. 4. The rate of Zakat (i.e. 2.5%) is fixed by the God in the Holy Quran and cannot be changed by the government of the state from time to time to meet its requirements. 5. The nature of the sources of Zakat is fixed but the sources of a tax are variable. The sources of a tax can be diversified in accordance with the need of revenue requirements. 6. The income collected from Zakat can only be spent on deserves of Zakat. The specified items of deserves are laid down by the Holy Quran but taxes can be spent on various requirements as determined by the government of a state.
Zakat and Tax are two completely different concepts. Tax is collected from every person of a country or area by the government of the country or area. If the person is rich he needs to pay tax and if he is poor even then he need to pay the tax on the items or things on which Tax is applied by the government. Tax is forced by the government. Tax is used for development of the country or particular area from where the Tax was collected. But Zakat is a different concept. Zakat is applied on the people how can pay it. There are some Nisab (rules) applied on the payer of Zakat.
If some body satisfies those Nisab (rules), he is eligible to pay the Zakat. If somebody has 85 Grams Gold or 595 Grams Silver or if he has some currency equal to the above written quantity of Gold, he has to pay the Zakat on it. Zakat is payable after one Lunar (moon) year if the above written quantity of gold, silver or money is kept by any person. The Ratio of Zakat is 2.5% (Approx. 1/40) of the salary of the Lunar year of the payer. Zakat is used to help the poor people of the country or the area. Zakat cannot be spent on the people who are not eligible for the Zakat.
Tax and Zakat are both compulsory, but while the Government can hold its citizens accountable for tax payment, no person can be held accountable for payment of Zakat by another person or governing body; the accountability is with God.
GCC countries do not require tax to be payed to their governments because the government have enough and more money for the basic necessities, development of the country, as well as free aid to the citizens, so I don't think it is necessary to tax the public. Doing away with Zakat is not an option, as it has been ordained by God and is personal. It has nothing to do with the Government or the rest of society. No one has the right to question whether one has paid their Zakat or not.
I am not completely satisfied with the comparision or difference between Zakat and Tax. Basic commonality between Zakat and Tax is 'upliftment of society", to describe meaning of society, a place where human being lives together, Muslim or non-muslim. I don't agree on any of points you have mentioned above. First describe types of Taxes, then decide which Tax type falls in the category of Zakat? We pay everyday sales tax on each and everything we purchase (including food, grocery, etc..etc..basic necessities of life), in which catagory of Zakat (these type of taxes) falls in?
Icomes are reported and accounted for in countries with taxation systems.In the GCC,no taxation systems are followed and therefore personal incomes are not reported.Would you support that azakzt or apersonal income tax should be officially collected from GCC citizens?
