Learn about Zakat

Activity introduction 

This activity will get everyone thinking about the things that might influence what people do with their money – including religion. They’ll explore one example, Zakat in Islam. Zakat is the obligatory donation to charity that is given by Muslims once a year. Only certain Muslims pay zakat as it is based on how much wealth you own. It is calculated at 2.5% of your savings and financial assets. It doesn't include your everyday living expenses such as food, bills, rent or money used for essential needs.  Use chocolate buttons (or something else) to get their heads around what 2.5% looks like.   

Before you begin 

• Write each of the items from the list below on a different piece of paper, and hide the pieces of paper around the meeting space before the session. You could add more items, or even create your own list. Include some things that influence what people do with their money, and some things that probably don’t influence what they do. Don’t forget to include ‘religion’, as this links to the second part of the activity.  
• Label one part of the meeting space ‘influences’ and the other ‘doesn’t influence’.
• This activity explores what 2.5% looks like with food items like chocolate buttons, crackers, sweets, or anything else that you can cut up. We’ve suggested a few tasty ways to make percentages hands-on, along with some other options that don’t involve food.
  

Step 1: money choices 

1. The person leading the activity should explain that two areas of the meeting space represent things that influence what people do with their money and things that probably don’t influence what people do with their money. Things could affect how people save and spend, as well as what they give away.    
2. Everyone should search around the meeting space to find the hidden words.
3. Everyone should decide which area each word belongs in – does it influence what people do with their money or not?
4. Once they’ve placed all the words in the two areas, everyone should chat about the things people thought had an influence. Why did they choose to put them in that area? How might they influence people? Where did people put religion?
5. The person leading the activity should explain that different religions have different approaches to money. The religion that someone belongs to might affect what they choose to do with their money. Can anyone think of any examples?  
6. Some people in your group may follow particular practices – offer everyone the chance to share (if they want to – no one should feel pressured to share). Make sure everyone listens respectfully.

 Step 2: All about Zakat 

1. The person leading the activity should explain that it’s time to explore an example of how one religion approaches money. Does anyone know anything about Zakat in Islam? 
2. If they need to, the person leading the activity should talk about how Zakat is one of the five pillars (main beliefs and practices) of Islam. Muslims donate 2.5% of whatever they earn (over a certain amount) to charity. 
3. Everyone should get stuck into one of the hands-on ways to understand what 2.5% looks like. We’ve included plenty of examples so you can choose what works for you. You could also try using more than one technique. 
4. Everyone should compare their 2.5% of play dough, chocolate buttons, or biscuits to the original pile. What does it look like? If it looks small, what would happen if everyone combined their share? 
5. The person leading the activity should explain that if lots of people donate a small amount, it can quickly add up and make a big difference.
6. If you used something tasty like chocolate buttons, don’t forget to eat them (especially if they might melt!)

If you have play dough

• The pile of play dough represents all of someone’s earnings. To find what Zakat would be, you need to find 2.5%. 
• If you divide the pile into 10 equal bits, each bit will represent 10%. 
• If you take one of the bits and break into four equal pieces, each piece will represent 2.5%.
• You could break one of the 10% bits into four equal pieces by making it into a flat circle and drawing a cross to split in into quarters, or you could roll it into a sausage, halve it, and halve it again.
• If everyone takes one of the smallest pieces of play dough, they’ll have 2.5% of the original pile. This represents Zakat, 2.5% of the earnings.

If you have 100 of something tasty (such as chocolate buttons)

• The pile of 100 chocolate buttons represents all of someone’s earnings. To find what Zakat would be, you need to find 2.5%.
• 100 buttons is 100% (all) of the buttons. This means that each button represents 1% of the pile (because 100% divided by 100 buttons is 1%).
• If each button is 1%, two and a half buttons is 2.5%.
• Make sure everyone’s washed their hands before they touch any buttons.
• If everyone takes two buttons and another half a button, they’ll have 2.5% of the original pile. This represents Zakat, 2.5% of the earnings.

If you have 10 of something tasty that you can cut into four (chocolate buttons, crackers, or biscuits work well)

• The pile of 10 chocolate buttons represents all of someone’s earnings. To find what Zakat would be, you need to find 2.5%. 
• 10 buttons is 100% all of the buttons. This means that each button represents 10% of the pile (because 100% divided by 10 is 10%). 
• If each button is 10%, a quarter of a button is 2.5% (because 10 divided by 4 is 2.5). 
• Make sure everyone’s washed their hands before they touch any buttons.
• If everyone takes a quarter of a button, they’ll have 2.5% of the original pile. This represents Zakat, 2.5% of the earnings.