“And know that whatever of a thing you acquire, a fifth of it is for Allah, for the Messenger, for the near relative, and the orphans, the needy, and the wayfarer.”
– Quran 8:21
WHAT IS KHUMS?
Khums refers to a Muslim’s requirement to pay one-fifth (20%) of their annual profit or surplus income at the start of a new Khums accounting year.
Khums is an important aspect of the Islamic economic system, as it helps to keep the economy balanced and supports charitable purposes.
KHUMS PAYMENTS ARE SPLIT INTO TWO EQUAL SHARES:
The Imam’s portion – Sahm Al-Imam – is distributed to various charity organisations at the discretion of the jurist (Marja’a).
The Sayyids’ share – Sahm Al-Sada: this portion is spent on descendants of Hashim, Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWW) great grandfather, who are in need.
WHY IS KHUMS IMPORTANT?
Fatimiyah has been given authorisation (Ijaza) to handle both Sahm Al-Imam and Sahm Al-Sada donations because of the crucial services we provide to orphaned children.
Read Al-Sayyid Ali Al-Hussaini Al-official Sistani’s (ljaza) (written permission) here. The approval letter in Arabic can be seen here.
HOW DO I CALCULATE HOW MUCH KHUMS I NEED TO PAY?
Khums becomes mandatory on the profit or surplus of your income after subtracting annual living expenditures at the start of your financial year. If you’re a worker or a business owner, this is the date you started your job; otherwise, it’s a year from the date each profit is produced. If you’re not sure how to calculate your khums, you should seek advice from a local scholar.
You can also contact us if you have particular questions regarding calculating your Khums or spreading payments out over the year, and we’ll get back to you with a scholarly response.
HOW DO WE SPEND KHUMS DONATIONS?
Fatimiyah uses Khums donations to offer crucial support to orphaned children, primarily in the form of monthly financial allowances to help them escape poverty. This is true for both Sahm Al-Imam and Sahm Al-Sada contributions*.
If you’d want your Khums donation to go towards one of our Sadaqa Jariya initiatives, please let us know and we’ll seek for authorization from Al-Sayyed Ali Al-office Sistani’s on your behalf.
* According to jurisprudential standards, Sahm Al-Sada is distributed to orphaned children of Hashimi heritage. We’ve made a deal with Al-Sayyed Al-office Sistani’s to swap any unspent Sahm Al-Sada donations for Sahm Al-Imam donations, which will be allocated to additional orphaned youngsters.
GIVE MY KHUMS ONLINE
You can pay your Khums here or through one of our various donation options.
Please indicate whether your Khums consists of only one part, Sahm Al-Imam or Sahm Al-Sada.