Uniting the Hearts (Putting Affection between the Hearts); Its Scope and Application in the Present Situation

ZakÁt (amount payable by a Muslim as a part of his religious obligation) or charity tax is one of the most important financial issues in the true faith of Islam whose function can be defined as either supporting those who have poor living conditions or promoting and strengthening Islam. ‘Uniting the hearts’, as one of the objectives achieved by consuming ZakÁt, has its roots in the Holy Qur’Án. This institution is intended to promote sympathy between people, establish friendly relations and to encourage cooperation in maintaining peace and security of the Islamic nations. The concept and scope of ‘uniting the hearts’ and the way in which it functions in the present-day situation are among the questions which need to be investigated. The present article deals with these issues drawing upon an approach to comparative jurisprudence (fiqh). The article concludes that ‘uniting the hearts’ or ‘ta’lif-e qulÙb’ is of a broad sense whose aim is to attract sympathy from those who are influential in society and who have the power and authority to call for cooperation with Islamic societies on the one hand, and to promote and strengthen the doctrinal and religious beliefs of the Muslims on the other. Seeking the ways in which Islamic societies can create and show sympathy towards each other and other nations are now within the scope of peace and security, inviting others to Islam, Islamic propagation and supporting scientific and cultural activities.