"Zakat" is a mandatory financial rite, and one of the five pillars of Islam. It must be paid by one who owns wealth or valuables of certain kinds whose values is at least to the limit of Nisab.

"Nisab" means the minimum amount fixed by Islamic shariah for certain kinds of wealth and valuables.

The Five Pillars are known in Arabic as ARKAN AL-ISLAM, the five duties incumbent on every Muslim. They are: shahadah , the Muslim profession of faith; salat , or ritual prayer, performed in a prescribed manner five times each day; zakat, the alms tax levied to benefit the poor and the needy; sawm, fasting during the month of Ramadan; and hajj, the major pilgrimage to Mecca.

Ref: TheFaithOfIslam.htm

One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust.

The word Zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Zakat is the amount of money that every adult, mentally stable, free, and financially able Muslim, male and female, has to pay to support specific categories people.

This category of people is defined in surah at-Taubah (9) verse 60: "The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarers; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is knower, Wise." (The Holy Qur'an 9:60).

The obligatory nature of Zakat is firmly established in the Qur'an, the Sunnah (or hadith), and the consensus of the companions and the Muslim scholars. Allah states in Surah at-Taubah verses 34-35: "O ye who believe! there are indeed many among the priests and anchorites, who in Falsehood devour the substance of men and hinder (them) from the way of Allah. And there are those who bury gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah. announce unto them a most grievous penalty - On the Day when heat will be produced out of that (wealth) in the fire of Hell, and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, their flanks, and their backs.- "This is the (treasure) which ye buried for yourselves: taste ye, then, the (treasures) ye buried!" (The Holy Qur'an 9:34-35).

It is agreed between Muslims in all the centuries the obligatory nature of paying Zakat for gold and silver, and from those the other kinds of currency.

Zakat is obligatory when a certain amount of money, called the nisab is reached or exceeded. Zakat is not obligatory if the amount owned is less than this nisab. The nisab (or minimum amount) of gold and golden currency is 20 mithqal, this is approximately 85 grams of pure gold. One mithqal is approximately 4.25 grams. The nisab of silver and silver currency is 200 dirhams, which is approximately 595 grams of pure silver. The nisab of other kinds of money and currency is to be scaled to that of gold, 85 grams of pure gold. This means that the nisab of money is the price of 85 grams of 999-type (pure) gold, on the day in which Zakat is paid. (Current Gold Prices)

Giving sadaqa al-fitr becomes wajib upon every Muslim who has property or money as much as the amount of nisab in addition to his or her indispensable belongings and debts. If he or she does not have property or money as much as the amount of nisab, it does not become wajib upon him or her to give sadaqa al-fitr.

It is declared in hadith-i sharifs:

(The fast of Ramadan remains suspended between the sky and the earth. It goes up when sadaqa al-fitr is given.)[Abu Hafs]

(Sadaqa al-fitr purifies a fasting person from the sins that he incurred because of his obnoxious utterances.)[Bayhaqi]

(Sadaqa al-fitr is a means of purification for your rich ones. If your poor ones also give it, Allahu ta'ala grants them a lot more than what they have given.) [Abu Dawud]

According to the other madhahib, giving sadaqa al-fitr is fard (obligatory) upon a person who has a day's food. A hadith-i sharif says, "Everyone, young or old, rich or poor, must give sadaqa al-fitr" (Abu Dawud).

Any person who does not meet the conditions specified by Islam to be considered rich can receive sadaqa al-fitr and zakat (obligatory alms). Giving sadaqa al-fitrbecomes wajib upon every Muslim who has property or money as much as the amount of nisab in addition to his or her indispensable belongings and debts. It is haram for such a person to receive sadaqa al-fitr or zakat. The property that is to be included into the calculation for sadaqa al-fitr does not necessarily have to be intended for trade, nor does one have to have had it for one year.

Richness that is known by the public is different from richness defined by Islam. One who does have property or money as much as the amount of nisab is considered poor by Islam. If one who does not own a house or who lives in a rented house has money or gold or commercial property as much as the amount of nisab, one is considered rich by Islam. Such a person must pay zakat and is not permitted to receive zakat.

Zakat is not paid for property that is not for trade, but income from such kinds of property is included into the calculation of nisab.

Those who do not have money or property as much as the amount of nisab are considered poor. Such people can receive zakat. If those with minimum salaries have money or property as much as the amount of nisab after they deduct their debts, they are considered rich and must pay sadaqa al-fitr. [The amount of nisab is 96 grams of gold, or its money or commercial property equivalent.]

Sadaqa al-fitr is given in the holy month of Ramadan. Though it is also permissible to give it before Ramadan or after the Eid, there will be more blessings if it is given before the Eid prayer. It cannot be given before Ramadan in the Shafi'i Madhhab, and it cannot be postponed until after the Eid, either. One who cannot fast because of a good excuse, such as illness, must pay the sadaqa al-fitr if one is rich.

One cannot pay sadaqa al-fitr to one's parents, to any of one's grandfathers or grandmothers, to one's own children or grandchildren, to one's wife, or to a disbeliever. It is permissible to pay sadaqa al-fitr to one's poor daughter-in-law, son-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, or stepchild. It is a lot more rewarding to give sadaqa al-fitr to such relatives as one's paternal aunt, paternal uncle, maternal aunt, or maternal uncle. According to Imamayn (Imam-i Muhammad and Imam-i Abu Yusuf), a woman can give sadaqa al-fitr to her indebted and poor husband. (Mawkufat)

The amount of sadaqa al-fitr to be paid does not vary from year to year. For sadaqa al-fitr, half a sa' of wheat or flour is given. Or one sa' of barley or dates or raisins is given. Half a sa' is a measure that equals 1750 grams circumspectly. One sa' equals 3500 grams. These amounts do not ever change until Doomsday. For sadaqa al-fitr, wheat or flour or barley or dates or raisins are given. Or it is also permissible to give their gold or silver equivalents. If it is difficult also to give wheat or flour or the other foodstuffs, one may give bread or corns of equal value.

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to understand the answer better, please look at meanings of the Islamic words:

fitra: alms (2 kg of wheat or silver of equal value) given after every Ramadan, the ninth month of Muslim calendar.

wajib: (act, thing) never omitted by the Prophet, so almost as compulsory as fard and not to be omitted. Wajib al-wujud: Being whose existence is indispensable and nonexistence is impossible.

nisab: minimum quantity of specified wealth which makes one liable to do some certain duties.

madhhab: all of what a profound 'alim of (especially) Fiqh (usually one of the four-Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali) or iman (one of the two, namely Ash-ari, Maturidi) communicated.

Zakat or alms-giving is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.

Zakat consists of spending 2.5% of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors and travelers. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward.

There are two main types of Zakah:

• First, there is the kajj or Zakat elfitr, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents.
• Second, there is the Zakat on wealth or Zakat elmal, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on. In current usage Zakat is treated as a 2.5% collections on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (three ounces or 87.48g of gold). Many Shi'ites are expected to pay an additional amount in the form of a khums tax, which they consider to be a separate ritual practice.

There are four principles that should be followed when giving the Zakah:

1. The giver must declare to Allah his intention to give the Zakah.

2. The Zakah must be paid on the day that it is due. It could be arranged to pay it within certain Hijra month every year.

3. Payment must be in kind. This means if one has a lot of money then he needs to pay 2.5% of his income. If he does not have much money, he needs to pay in a different way. For example, if he has a lot of cattle, then he pays in cattle instead of money.

4. Some say (not sure personally) that the Zakah must be distributed in the community from which it was taken.

there are 8 categories mentioned in the following verse of the quraan :"The alms are only for the Fuqara' (the poor), and Al-Masakeen (the needy) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah's Cause, and for the wayfarer (a traveler who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise." [Al-Quran -9:60]

The eight categories mentioned in the verse above are:

• Fuqaraa: Those who own property in excess of basic necessities but below the value of Nisab

• Masakeen: Extremely poor who possess no wealth whatsoever

• Aamileen: Those persons who are appointed by an Islamic Head of State or Government to collect Zakat; this person does not have to be a needy person to qualify for Zakat

• Muallafatul Quloob: Those poor and needy persons who may have recently converted to Islam; Zakat is given to them with the intentions of solidifying their hearts or to bring them closer to Islam

• Ar-Riqaab: slaves whose masters have agreed to set them free on a payment of a fixed amount; Zakat may be used to purchase their freedom

• Al Ghaarimeen: A person whose debts exceed his assets; to qualify, his/her net assets (after deducting liabilities) must be below the Nisab limit

• Fi Sabeelillah: Those who are away from home in the path of Allah

• Ibnus-Sabeel: A traveler, who, whilst wealthy at his residence, is stranded and in need of financial assistance

reference : http://www.hidaya.org/social-welfare/zakat---alms/who-receives-zakat.HTML

and Allah knows best

Forgive me for interjecting, but I just want to add for the sake of the question that:

The main articles of doctrine in Islam are two. They are the Noble Quran (Actual Literal Speech and Wisdom of Allah) written in book format, as well as the Sunnah (practices, teachings, habits, approvals, disapproval, of the Messenger of Allah called "hadith" (narrations) which have been collected and put in book format.

Refer to related question listed below for more information.

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The prime doctrines, also known as the 5 pillars are-

1. Shahadah-The belief in one god(Allah) and that Muhammad is his messenger and prophet. This is by far the most important pillar in Islam. As the most important pillar, this testament is a foundation for all other beliefs and practices in Islam. Ideally, it is the first words a newborn will hear, and children are taught as soon as they are able to understand it and it will be recited when they die. Muslims must repeat the shahadah in prayer, and non-Muslims wishing to convert to Islam are required to recite the creed. Technically the Shi'a do not consider the Shahadah to be a separate pillar, but connect it to the

2.Salah-Prayer is performed facing towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Salah is intended to focus the mind on Allah; it is seen as a personal communication with Allah, expressing gratitude and worship. According to the Qur'an, the benefit of prayer "restrains [one] from shameful and evil deeds".[Qur'an 29:40] Salah is to be performed five times a day and it is compulsory but some flexibility in the specifics is allowed depending on the circumstances. For example, in the case of sickness or a lack of space, a worshipper can offer salah while sitting, or even lying down, and the prayer can be shortened when travelling. The salah must be performed in the Arabic language to the best of each worshipper's ability. If he/she cannot speak Arabic, then his/her native language can be used. The lines of prayer are to be recited by heart (although beginners may use written aids), and the worshipper's body and clothing, as well as the place of prayer, must be cleansed.

3.Zakah- or alms-giving, is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.[7] Zakah consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, including slaves, debtors and travellers. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity (sadaqah), in order to achieve additional divine reward. There are two main types of zakah. First, there is the zakah on traffic, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his dependents. Second, there is the zakah on wealth, which covers money made in business, savings, income, and so on. In current usage zakah is treated as a 2.5% levy on most valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a basic minimum known as nisab (three ounces or 87.48g of gold). As of 16 October 2006, nisab is approximately US$1,750 or an equivalent amount in any other currency. Many Shi'ites are expected to pay an additional amount in the form of a khums tax, which they consider to be a separate ritual practice.

4.Sawm-Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,[2:183-187] fasting as compensation or repentance,[2:196] and ascetic fasting.[33:35]Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins. The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to Allah, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, to atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.[14] During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, harsh language, gossip and to try to get along with each other better than normal. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided. Fasting during Ramadan is not obligatory, and even forbidden in some cases, for several groups for whom it would be dangerous or excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not permitted for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those in combat and travellers. Missing fasts usually must be made up soon afterwards, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance. Many Muslims break their fast with a date because it is claimed Muhammed broke his fast with a date

5.Hajj- The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca, and derives from an ancient Arab practice. Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it.[20] When the pilgrim is around ten kilometers from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets.[21] The main rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina. The hajj also includes a visit to Medina, the second holiest city of Islam. The pilgrim, or the haji, is honoured in their community. For some, this is an incentive to perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to Allah, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine their intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvementA pilgrimage made at any time other than the Hajj season is called an Umrah, and while not mandatory is strongly encouraged.

After the Prophet Muhammad (S)'s death many desert nomads and others claimed to be prophets, during this time Abu Bakr (R) went to war with these people to prove them as false. After Abu Bakr (R), Umr (R) took over Persia, and other parts of Asia Minor, after many years Tariq bin Ziyad (R) took over Spain and Islam slowly traveled though Europe.

You can also check out resources for the Ottoman Empire.

What is Islam?: The name of the religion is Islam, which comes from an Arabic root word meaning "peace" and "submission." Islam teaches that one can only find peace in one's life by submitting to Almighty God (Allah) in heart, soul and deed. The same Arabic root word gives us "Salaam alaykum," ("Peace be with you"), the universal Muslim greeting.

Who is a Muslim?: A person who believes in and consciously follows Islam is called a Muslim, also from the same root word. So, the religion is called "Islam," and a person who believes in and follows it is a "Muslim."

• What is the difference between Muslim, Moslem and Islamic?

How Many and Where?: Islam is a major world religion, with over 1 billion followers worldwide (1/5 of the world population). It is considered one of the Abrahamic, monotheistic faiths, along with Judaism and Christianity. Although usually associated with the Arabs of the Middle East, less than 10% of Muslims are in fact Arab. Muslims are found all over the world, of every nation, color and race.

• Muslim population of the world

Who is Allah?: Allah is the proper name for Almighty God, and is often translated merely as "God." Allah has other names that are used to describe His characteristics: the Creator, the Sustainer, the Merciful, the Compassionate, etc.

Muslims believe that since Allah alone is the Creator, it is He alone that deserves our devout love and worship. Islam holds to a strict monotheism. Any worship and prayers directed at saints, prophets, other human beings or nature is considered idolatry.

• More about the nature of God
• "Names" of Allah

What do Muslims believe about God, prophets, the afterlife, etc.?: The basic beliefs of Muslims fall into six main categories, which are known as the "Articles of Faith":

• Faith in the unity of God
• Faith in angels
• Faith in prophets
• Faith in books of revelation
• Faith in an afterlife
• Faith in destiny/divine decree

The "five pillars" of Islam: In Islam, faith and good works go hand-in-hand. A mere verbal declaration of faith is not enough, for belief in Allah makes obedience to Him a duty.

The Muslim concept of worship is very broad. Muslims consider everything they do in life to be an act of worship, if it is done according to Allah's guidance. There are also five formal acts of worship which help strengthen a Muslim's faith and obedience. They are often called the "Five Pillars of Islam."

• Testimony of faith (Kalima)
• Prayer (Salat)
• Almsgiving (Zakat)
• Fasting (Sawm)
• Pilgrimage (Hajj)

Daily life as a Muslim: While often seen as a radical or extreme religion, Muslims consider Islam to be the middle road. Muslims do not live life with complete disregard for God or religious matters, but nor do they neglect the world to devote themselves solely to worship and prayer. Muslims strike a balance by fulfilling the obligations of and enjoying this life, while always mindful of their duties to Allah and to others.

• Morals and manners
• Business ethics
• Modesty in dress and behavior
• Dietary rules
• Marriage
• Care of children and elderly
• Racism and prejudice
• Relations with non-Muslims

Dr. Zakir Naik in his book'Answers to non-Muslims common questions reply to this question as;

1. Major difference between Islam and most other religions

All religions basically exhort mankind to be righteous and eschew evil. But Islam

goes beyond that. It guides us towards practical ways of achieving righteousness and eliminating evil from our individual and collective lives. Islam

takes into account human nature and the complexities of human society. Islam

is guidance from the Creator Himself. Therefore, Islam is also called the Deenul-Fitrah (the natural religion of Man).

2. Example - Islam commands us to shun robbery and also prescribes method of eli-minating robbery

a. Islam prescribes method of eliminating robbery

All major religions teach that theft is an evil act. Islam teaches the same. So

what is the difference between Islam and the other religions? The difference

lies in the fact that Islam, besides teaching that robbing is evil, shows a practical way of creating a social structure in which people will not rob.

b. Islam prescribes Zakat

Islam prescribes a system of Zakat (obligatory annual charity). Islamic law

prescribes that every person who has a saving that exceeds the nisab level

i.e. more than 85 grams of gold, should give 2.5% of that saving every lunar

year in charity. If every rich person in the world gave Zakat sincerely, poverty will be eradicated from this world. Not a single human being would

die of hunger.

c. Chopping off the hands as punishment for robbery

Islam prescribes chopping off the hands of the convicted robber. The

Glorious Qur'an says in Surah Maidah:

"As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands:a punishment

by way of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah is Exalted in

power, full of wisdom." [ Al-Qur'an 5:38]

The non-Muslim may say, "Chopping off the hands in this 20th century.

Islam is a barbaric and ruthless religion!"

d. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented

America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries in the world.

Unfortunately it also has one of the highest rates of crime, theft, and robbery. Suppose the Islamic shariah is implemented in America i.e. every rich person gives Zakat ( 2.5% of his savings in charity above 85 grams of gold every lunar year), and every convicted robber has his or her hands chopped off as a punishment. Will the rate of theft and robbery in America increase, remain same or decrease? Naturally it will decrease. Moreover the existence of such a stringent law would discourage many a potential robber. I agree that the amount of theft that takes place in the world today is so tremendous that if you chop off the hands of all the thieves, there will be tens of thousands of people whose hands will be chopped off. The point here is that the moment you implement this law the rate of theft will decline immediately. The potential robber would give it a serious thought before jeopardizing his limbs. The mere thought of the punishment itself will discourage majority of the robbers. There will barely be a few who would rob. Hence only a few person's hands would be chopped off but millions would live peacefully without fear of being robbed.

Islamic Shariah is therefore practical, and achieves results.

3. Example: Islam prohibits the molestation and rape of women.

It enjoins hijab and prescribes capital punishment for a convicted rapist.

a. Islam prescribes method of eliminating molestation and rape

All the major religions declare the molestation and rape of women as grave

sins. Islam teaches the same. What then is the difference between Islam and

the other religions? The difference lies in the fact that Islam does not merely

preach respect for women, or abhor molestation and rape as serious crimes,

but also gives clear guidance as to how society can eliminate such crimes.

b. Hijab for men

Islam has a system of hijab. The Glorious Qur'an first mentions hijab for the men and then for the women. Hijab for the men is mentioned in the following verse: "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard

their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is

well acquainted with all that they do." [Al-Qur'an 24:30]

The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed

thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.

c. Hijab for women

Hijab for women is mentioned in the following verse:

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and

guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and

ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should

draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to

their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons...."

[Al-Qur'an 24:31]

The extent of hijab for a woman is that her complete body should be

covered. The only part that can be seen, are the face and the hands up to

the wrists. If they wish to cover, they can even cover these parts of the body. However some Islamic scholars insist that even the face should be covered.

d. Hijab prevents molestation

The reason why Allah has prescribed Hijab for the women is given in the Qur'an in the folowing verse of Surah Al-Ahzab: "O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women,that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful."

[Al-Qur'an 33:59]

The Qur'an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women this would prevent them from being molested.

e. Example of twin sisters

Suppose two sisters who are twins and who are equally beautiful, walk down a street. One of them is wearing the Islamic Hijab i.e. the complete body is covered except for the face and the hands up to the wrists, and the other twin is wearing a mini skirt or shorts. Around the corner there is a hooligan who is waiting for an opportunity to tease a girl. Who will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the mini skirt or shorts? Dresses that expose more than they conceal, are an indirect temptation to the opposite sex for teasing, molestation and rape. The Qur'an rightly says that the hijab prevents women from being molested.

f. Capital punishment for rapist

The Islamic shariah prescribes capital punishment for a convicted rapist. The non-Muslim may be horrified at such a stringent punishment in this age. Many accuse Islam of being ruthless and barbaric. I have asked a common question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose God-forbid, some one rapes your wife, your mother or your sister and you are made the judge. The rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said, "we would put him to death." Some went to the extent of saying, "we would torture him to death", If your wife or your mother is raped you want the rapist to be put to death. But if someone else's wife or mother is raped, capital punishment is a barbaric law. Why the double standards? g. U.S.A. has one of the highest rate of Rape The United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. An F.B.I report in the year 1990 says that 1,02,555 cases of rape were reported. It further says that only 16% of the cases of rapes are reported. Thus, in order to know the actual number of rapes that took place in 1990, the reported figure should be multiplied by 6.25. We get a total of 6,40,968 rape cases that took place in the year 1990. If the total is divided by 365 the number of days in a year, we get an average of 1,756 rape incidents everyday. Later another report said that an average of 1900 cases of rape are committed in U.S.A every day. According to National Crime Victimization Survey Bureau of Justice Statistics (U. S. Dept. of Justice) in 1996 alone 3,07,000 cases of rape were reported. Only 31% of the actual cases of rape were reported. Thus, 3,07,000 X 3.226 = 9,90,322 rapes took place in 1996. That is, an average of 2,713 cases of rape took place everyday in America in 1996. Every 32 seconds one rape is taking place in America. Maybe American rapists got bolder. The FBI report of 1990 continues and says that out of the rape cases that were reported only 10% of the rapist were arrested, that is only 1.6% of the actual rapes committed. Out of those arrested, 50% were let free before the trial. This would mean that only 0.8%

of the rapists faced a trial. In other words if a person commits 125 rapes the

chances that he will get a punishment for rape is only once. Many would consider this a good gamble. And the report says that of those people who faced trial 50% received sentences of less than a year's imprisonment though the American law says rape carries a seven year sentence of imprisonment. For a rapist, the judge is lenient to first time offenders. Imagine a person commits 125 rapes and the chances of being convicted is only once, and 50% of the time the judge will grant leniency and give a sentence of less than a year!

h. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented

Suppose the Islamic shariah is implemented in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic Hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrists. After this if any man commits rape, he gets capital punishment. The question is, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same or will it decrease? Naturally it will decrease. Islamic Shariah gets results.

4. Islam has Practical Solutions for the Problems of Mankind

Islam is the best way of life because its teachings are not doctrinaire rhetoric but practical solutions for the problems of mankind. Islam achieves results both at the individual and collective levels. Islam is the best way of life because it is a practical, universal religion not confined to any ethnic group or nationality.