Absence Of Ijma And Tawatur On Zakat Law

[Dr. Irfan Shahzad]

Sunnah is transmitted through ijam and Tawatur. Zakat comes from Sunnah. The rates of Zakat have always been fixed in the Shariah of God, which we find in Judaism too. This is what the Holy Prophet taught his people, and the whole ummah has been practicing zakat since then.

[Ahmed Khan]

So why there are differences in the Percentages? if Zakat has been transmitted through Ijma and tawatur.

I didn’t understand, like in Namaz, mandatory Aamal and Azkaar have been transmitted through Ijma and Tawatur and there is no difference to date in whole ummah.

[Ahmed Khan]

Why there is a difference if zakat is transmitted through Ijma and tawatur? See below extract.

Unlike prayers, we observe that even the ratio, the exemption, the kinds of wealth that are zakatable are subject to differences among scholars. Such differences have serious implications for Muslims at large when it comes to their application of the Islamic obligation of zakat. For example, some scholars consider the wealth of children and insane individuals zakatable, others don’t. Some scholars consider all agricultural products zakatable, others restrict zakat to specific kinds only. Some consider debts zakatable, others don’t. Similar differences exist for business assets and women’s jewelry. Some require certain minimum (nisab) for zakatability, some don’t. etc. The same kind of differences also exist about the disbursement of zakat.
– Shiekh Mahmud Shaltut

[Dr. Irfan Shahzad]

These are differences in applications. Applications are human endeavours. Such differences are there in the the applications related to prayer too. For example, in what conditions one is allowed to shorten the prayers or combine them.

The rules of zakat, the rate of zakat and heads of zakat are well known. Then we apply them with reasoning behind them on different things.