Preponderance in Zakat Issues Based on Public Interest and Some of its Contemporary Applications

Abstract

Public interest has a significant role in fiqh issues. Scholars agree on its importance in referring to issues related to financial transactions. Since all provisions of Sharia are based on the principle of securing public interest or preventing evil, it is important to consider the influence of matters of worship in this basic rule, and the possibility of using public interest as a basis for decision before considering minor issues. Therefore, zakat chapter is chosen to apply this principle on these issues because the effect of interest is manifest in the divine legislation of this pillar of Islam.

I have defined the research terms. Then, I have shown the different parts of public interest and settled areas of disagreement in this matter, in addition to sayings, evidence and discussions of scholars of Islamic principles as well as the preponderant opinion and the core of the disagreement.

Then, in the practical applications, I mentioned eleven branches of Islamic jurists books and fourteen contemporary issues relating to Zakat.