Towards A Unified Zakat System

een distributed to non-profit Muslim organisations workingin Muslim and non-Muslim countries (Al-Tayar, 1987). Theseorganisations which have been provided with funding forprojects such as schools, hospitals and food distribution.The fifth type of beneficiary are slaves who wish to buytheir freedom (Sabiq, 1985; Al-Qaradawi, 1986). It is wellknown that slavery was part of every day life before Islam.When Islam came, however, it set up rules to discourageslavery and encourage the freeing of slaves. As slavery isnow extinct, many Muslim scholars, like Imam Ahmad, havesuggested that proceeds to such beneficiaries should bemade available to other purposes (Al-Sultan, 1997).The sixth type of beneficiaries are those who are deeplyindebted. The word in Arabic calls for specific types ofdebts such as debt that arises from the fulfilment ofspecial needs. These needs include marriage, buildingone's own house, debt arising from good that has beenextended to the benefit of the community, ill health, andeducation (Sabiq, 1985; Al-Qaradawi, 1986).The seventh type of beneficiaries is those who are fightingin order to defend Islamic causes. The Arabic word in thecause of Allah carries many meanings, which include the107