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the theory of limits 211transfer within a society correspond to the movement, suggestedabove, between an upper and a lower limit.1. Zak§h:This is a special type of charity since it is defined as an alms taxfor the benefit of the poor and handicapped who are adherentsof MuÈammad (ß): Muslim-Believers. It corresponds to theabsolute minimum of money transfer, a lower limit of ßadaqa(fixed as 2.5 percent of supraincome) that cannot be reduced.2. ‘ adaqa:This is a general type of charity, called ßadaqat al-isl§m, whoserecipients are the poor and handicapped, whether they believein MuÈammad’s (ß) message or not. There exists no upper limitand each contribution is voluntary. The lower limit of ßadaqa isthe payment of zak§h. There are therefore two different kindsof ßadaqa:I. General ßadaqa for everyone:It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East orWest. But it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day,and the angels, and the Book, and the messengers; to spend ofyour substance [‘at§ al-m§l], out of love for Him, for your [dhawÊ’l-qurba], for the [ yat§mÊ], for the [ al-mas§kÊn], for the [ibn al-sabÊl],for those who are [ al-sa"ilÊn], and for those [ fi’l-riq§b]; to be steadfastin prayer, and practice regular charity [zak§h]; to fulfil thecontracts which you have made; and to be firm and patient, inpain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods ofpanic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing. ( Al-Baqara2:177)party receives an unfair gain in the six forbidden commodities: gold, silver, barley,salt, wheat, and dates. For both kinds of rib§ the legal ruling is Èurma, impermissibility,which rendered the transaction as f§sid, corrupt or incomplete. However, theexample is often quoted of the ßaȧba who believed that only the second type isimpermissible as it was explicitly forbidden by the Qur"an, while the first type wasonly mentioned in the Sunna. Al-ZuÈaylÊ believes that this opinion has been challengedby the majority of fuqah§" and that a consensus has been established accordingto which all types of rib§ are forbidden (see al-ZuÈaylÊ, al-Fiqh al-isl§mÊ, vol. 5,353–71). MS aims at bypassing this uncompromising disapproval of financial gainthrough rib§ and proposes a more flexible position whereby financial gains are controlled,reassessed, and, if necessary, capped by state regulations (more in line withthe existing banking system).