📆 Expounding ḤAULĀNU ʾL-ḤAUL: The Islamic Criterion for Zakat

📚 Term Definition and Significance

ḤAULĀNU ʾL-ḤAUL (حولان الحول‎) - An Islamic jurisprudential term meaning “the completion of a year.” It refers to the period a Muslim must possess their wealth before zakat is obligatory. Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is a mandatory form of almsgiving meant to support those in need.

🌐 Etymology and Background

• Etymology: The term ḤAULĀNU ʾL-ḤAUL derives from the Arabic root word “Ḥāla” (حال), meaning to change or pass. Combined with “al-Ḥaul," which means “the year,” it translates roughly to “the passing of a year.”
• Historical Context: The concept originates from Quranic verses and Hadiths where the distribution of wealth and purification through zakat are discussed in detail. The implementation of this concept standardized financial ethics in early Islamic societies.

🕌 Cultural Differences and Similarities

• In Islam: The specific duration of a complete lunar year is upheld in various Islamic school thoughts, ensuring that wealth circulates and supports the community’s welfare.
• Other Traditions: While the notion of almsgiving is present in many religions, such as Christianity’s tithing or Buddhism’s Dana, the specific yearly requirement before a charitable obligation (akin to ḤAULĀNU ʾL-ḤAUL) is unique to Islamic practice.

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

• Synonyms: Completeness of the year, Annual cycle
• Antonyms: Instantaneous, Immediate assessment

🔗 Related Terms

1. Zakat (زكاة): Mandatory alms-giving and one of the five pillars of Islam.
2. Nisab (نصاب): The minimum amount of wealth one must have before zakat becomes obligatory.
3. Sadaqah (صدقة): Voluntary charity.
4. Fiqh (فقه): Islamic jurisprudence.

🌟 Exciting Facts

• Zakat is calculated at 2.5% of a Muslim’s savings and wealth above the nisab threshold, assuming it has been held for a full lunar year (Ḥaulan al-Ḥaul).
• The concept helps in establishing a balanced and just economy, ensuring wealth circulation and reducing poverty.

📜 Notable Quotations

1. Ibn Khaldun: “The success of the social order rests significantly upon economic justice, of which Ḥaulan al-Ḥaul is a cornerstone.”
2. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “The crowd and confusion on the Day of Resurrection, due to the pursuit of wealth, can be mitigated by adhering to fair almsgiving.”

🗂️ References and Suggested Literature

• Al-Hidayah: The Guide, Volume I
• Al-Ghazali’s “Revival of Religious Sciences”
• Dr. Yusuf Al-Qaradawi’s “Fiqh az-Zakah”
• “Islamic Jurisprudence According to the Four Sunni Schools” by Abd al-Rahman al-Jaziri
• The Qur’an: Surah Al-Baqarah (2:177) and Surah Tauba (9:103)

💡 Inspirational and Thought-Provoking Farewell

Understanding ḤAULĀNU ʾL-ḤAUL broadens our comprehension of financial ethics and social justice in Islamic law. It is a testament to a faith that intertwines spirituality with the economic welfare of society, aiding not just the individual but humanity as a whole.

Best regards,

Sufyan Al-Tayyar October 7, 2023