14 June 2014| last updated at 11:44PM

Nonetheless, compare that to the total number of Muslim population in this country, there is still room for improvement, especially on the need to spread the message that zakat is not only one of the means to provide for the poor and needy but also a commandment that can purify and cleanse one's wealth, as well as soul.

Islam preaches its believers to pursue worldly happiness, as well as to seek the blessings of Allah for the sake of life in the hereafter. The balance between the two has been emphasised in the Quran. This inevitably rejects the notion held by some Muslims and non-Muslims, who believe that Islam abhors those who work hard to gain worldly material wealth. There are also Muslims who think that living in poverty is something that is natural and "Islamic" as long as they devote themselves to the cause of Allah.

As far as Islamic historical facts are concerned, the wealth of Muslim nations in the past, when the glorious Muslim empires were in existence, shows that Islam puts much emphasis on wealth creation. Those who work hard to achieve economic independence are viewed as following the true teachings of Islam and must be commended. But, at the same time, Islam also provides a unique way for a person to purify his or her soul, so as not to be "overwhelmed" by worldly gains and temptations. That way is through paying zakat.

This obligation is reiterated in many of the verses in the Quran to show its significance. More importantly, the injunctions for Muslims to pay zakat are usually associated with the command to perform the daily prayer, which is the second pillar of Islam after professing syahadah (admission of the oneness of Allah). Thus, one can say that after prayer, paying zakat is the second most important obligation in Islam for those who have the capacity and means to perform it.

When it comes to soul purification, one needs to firmly believe that by paying zakat, it will cleanse the wealth that he or she gains. This is a very important element of zakat. That a person will receive Allah's blessings, as well as forgiveness, should be considered as the strongest pull factor for people to pay zakat. In other words, Islam views sharing of wealth as significant to achieve social harmony and through it, the poor and needy can be helped through zakat distribution.

At the same time, zakat can provide spiritual comfort for those who pay it. Spiritual enlightenment can only be attained by those who are truly convinced that by paying zakat, they are following the command of Allah without hesitation or reluctance.

The zakat authorities should intensify efforts to promote payment of zakat among the Muslim community, especially the younger generation. In this regards, social media is one of the most effective ways to promote zakat. The more zakat is collected, it is believed that the incidence of poverty can be reduced, if not eliminated.

Nevertheless, admittedly in Malaysia, there is a growing demand for zakat authorities to show transparency, especially when it comes to zakat distribution. It is a fair demand since those who pay zakat deserve to be informed of the way their money is being spent. To this, zakat authorities must provide their annual report to the public.

Ahmad Azhan Mohd Noh,Putrajaya

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Spiritual tool to alleviate poverty