What is Zakāt?

Zakāt is one of the five pillars of Islam. It is a yearly act of worship where you give a small share of the wealth you have held for a full year to people who qualify to receive it. For most kinds of wealth the rate is 2.5 percent. It is not a tax, and it is not the same as charity you choose to give when you feel like it. It is a right that those in need have over wealth that sits and grows.