things it ought to be given; but the voluntary altns are left to every
one’s liberty, to give more or lefs, as he (hall fee fit. The former
kind of alms fome think to be-properly called Z acat, and the latter
Sadakat ; tho’ this name be alfo frequently given to the legal alms.
They are called Zacat, either becaufe they encreafe a man’s (tore, by
drawing down a bleffing thereon, and produce in his foul the virtue
of liberality or becaufe they purify the remaining part of one’s
fubftance from pollution, and the foul from the filth of avarice 2;
and Sadakat, becaufe they are a proof of a man’s fncerity in the wor-
fhip of G o d . Some writers have called the legal alms tythes, but
improperly, fince in fome cafes they fall (hort, and in others exceed
that proportion. - _
The giving of alms is frequently commanded in the Koran, and
often recommended therein jointly with prayer; the former-being
held of great efficacy in caufing the latter to be heard of G o d :
for which reafon the Khalif Omar Ebn Abd'alaziz ufed to fay, that
prayer carries us half way to G o d, fafting brings us to the door o f his
palace, cmd alms procures us admiffion 3. The Mohammedans therefore
efteem almsdeeds to be highly meritorious, and many, of them have
been illuftrious for the-exercife thereof. Hafan the fon of A li, and
grandfon of Mohammed, in particular, is related to have thrice in his
life divided his fubftance equally between himfelf and the poor, and
twice to have given away all he had4: and the generality are fo
add idled to the doing of good, that they extend their charity even
to brutes5, — . _ . ...
Alms, according to the prefcriptions of das Mohammedan\vn, are to
be given of five things; i .O f cattle, that is to fay, of camels, kine, and
ffieep. 2. Of money. 3. Of corn. 4. Of fruits, viz. dates and raifins.
And 5. O f wares fold. Of each of thefe a certain portion is to be
given in alms, being ufually one part in forty, or two and a half
per Cent, of the value. But no alms are due for them, unlefs they
amount to a certain quantity or number; nor until a man has been
in poffeffion of them eleven months, he not being obliged to give
alms thereout before the twelfth month is begun: nor are alms due
for cattle employed in tilling the ground, or in carrying of burthens.
In fome cafes a much larger portion than the before-mentioned is
reckoned due for alms: thus of what is gotten out of mines, or the
1 A 1 Beidawi. See Kor. chap. z. p. 3 z. 2 Idem. Compare this with what our Saviour lays,
Luke xi. 41. Give alms of fuch things as ye haves and behold, all things are clean unto yon'
s D’Herbel. Bibl. Orient, p. 5. ^ Ibid, p. 422. ’ V. Busbeq. Epiil. 3. p. 178, Smith, de
morib. Tiirc. Ep. :. p. 66, &c. Compare Ecclef. xi. t. and Prov. xii.io.
- fea,
fea, or by any art or profeffion over and above what is fufficient
for the reafonable fupport of a man’s family, and efpecially where
there is a mixture or fufpicion of unjuft gain, a fifth part ought to
be given in alms.- Moreover, at the end of the faft of Ramadan,
every Mojlem is obliged to give in alms for himfelf and for every
One of his family, if he has any, a meafure 1 of wheat, barley, dates,
raifins, rjce, or other provifions commonly eaten 2.
The legal alms were at firft colledted by Mohammed himfelf, who
employed them as he thought fit, in the relief of his poor relations-
and followers, but chiefly applied them to the maintenance of thofe
who ferved in his wars, and fought, as he termed it, in the way of
G od. His fucceffors continued to do the fame, till, in procefs of
time, other faxes and tributes being impofed for the fupport of the
government, they feem to have been weary of adting as almoners to
their fubjedts, and to have left the paying them to their confluences.
In the foregoing rules concerning alms, we may obferve alfo foot-
fteps of what, the Jews taught and pradtifed in refpedt thereto. Alms,
which they alfo call Sedaka, i. e. juftice, or righteoufnefs s, are greatly
recommended by their Rabbins, and preferred even to (acrifices ^, as
a duty the frequent exercife whereof will effedtually free a man
from hell fire 5, and merit everlafting life 6: wherefore, befides the
corners of the field, and the gleanings of their harveft and vineyard,
commanded to' be left for the poor and the ftranger by the law of
Mofesi, a certain portion of their corn and fruits is diredted to be fet
apart for their relief, which portion is called the tythes of the poor 8.
The Jews likewife were formerly very confpicuous for their charity.
Zacheus gave the half of his goods to the poor 9; and we are told
that fome gave their whole fubftance: fo that their dodtors, at lefigth,
decreed that no man (hould give above a fifth part of his goods in
alms io. There were alfo perfons publickly appointed in every fyn-
agogue to colledt and diftribute the people’s contributions ” .
The third point of religious pradtice is fafting; a duty of fo great O f
moment, that Mohammed ufed to fay it was the gate o f religion, and ’n“
that the odour of the mouth of him who fajleth, is more grateful to
1 This meafure is a Sad, and contains about fix ot feven pound weight. 2 V. Reland, derel.
Mohammed. 1. 1. p. 99, &c. Chardin, Voy. de Perfe. t. II. p. 41 5, &c. i 3 Hence aims are
in the NeusTeftament termed OtKcuoavvn- Matth. vi. 1. (Ed. Steph.) and z Co.ix. to. * Gemar.
in Bava bathra. ' Ibid, in Gittin. 6 Ibid, in Roih haihana. 7 Levit. xix. 9, 10. Deut.
xxiv. 19, &c. 8 V. Gemar. Hierofol. in Peah, & Maimon. in JIalachoth matanoth Aniyyim.
c. 6. Confer Pirke Avoth, v. 9. 8 Luke xix. 8. 10 V. Relarid. Ant. faor. vet. Hebr. p. 402.
V. ibid. p. 138.
G od