Zakat donation during Ramadan is even more beneficial, especially if you give less to charity. For many of us, the month of Ramadan denotes a time for spiritual reflection and repentance for our past sins. In addition, we tend to add an extra layer of spirituality when it comes to doing good deeds as we strive to please Allah SWT by being charitable. This increased charitable sentiment is most evident when we donate zakat money in a process termed ‘Qurbani i’tikaf, or animal sacrifice performed in seclusion within a mosque. However, there are other ways by which we can do good deeds to purify ourselves from sin and prepare ourselves for Ramadan. One of these ways is donating our zakat money to a good cause. As a result, you will receive spiritual benefits, even though some claim that observing an animal sacrifice in seclusion within the mosque is more beneficial as it has been practised since Prophet Muhammad PBUH. In fact, according to them, donating one’s zakat funds to charity would be equivalent to losing out on the opportunity of sacrificing an animal during this blessed month. For families planning to observe their zakat obligations through Qurbani i’tikaaf, the animals themselves also become a symbol for atonement and purification from sin. However, we look closer into how both acts of charity stack up. Qurbani i’tikaaf is a spiritual exercise where one abstains from worldly pleasures such as watching television, staying updated with current affairs, and consuming food and drink within the mosque grounds. This form of sacrifice is considered more virtuous than donating one zakat money because it involves an additional purity level that abstaining from sin requires, just like animal sacrifice itself. On the other hand, Zakat donation does not require giving up anything except your own money. The reason why zakat has been prescribed in Islam is that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH said: “Zakat is mandatory on every Muslim or sane adult who possesses what can be broadly described as excess wealth.” This means that even if one does not possess excess wealth but can earn money, it is considered mandatory in Islam to pay zakat. Please visit: Zakat calculator Qurbani i’tikaaf is also only performed in seclusion within a mosque which allows you to reflect on your sins and prepare yourself spiritually for Ramadan. However, Zakat donation allows you to direct your funds towards more worthwhile charities according to your standards. This could either be donating money towards feeding homeless people or giving funds towards constructing new mosques around the world. Furthermore, you have complete control over where your money goes when you donate zakat. It does not have to be just within the confines of your local mosque and can instead be directed towards a discreet organization that you feel will benefit the most from it. Zakat fund donation is also more flexible than Qurbani i’tikaaf due to its ability for individuals to decide where their zakat money goes as long as they make sure that the funds are ‘purified’. However, it is essential as an individual to ensure that Islamic principles spend your Zakat money by rewarding those who work hard and treat money responsibly. Although sacrificing an animal during Qurbani i’tikaaf allows one to feel closer spiritually to Prophet Muhammad PBUH, and abstaining from worldly pleasures such as television and consuming food and drink within the mosque grounds has been deemed more virtuous than donating one zakat money, one must remember that the ultimate goal of Ramadan is to increase your faith in God. It does not matter how you choose to do this as long as it helps you become a better Muslim. It may come down to a choice between having an animal sacrificed on your behalf or donating your zakat money towards a good cause, as for those who believe that Qurbani i’tikaaf is more beneficial should take solace in knowing that both acts of charity bring about immense spiritual benefits and purify oneself from sin.