Although both are intended for the benefit of the people, zakat and tax have differences. Zakat is required by religion, while tax is required by the government. The rules between the two can also be said to be very different. It can be said that there are many differences between zakat and tax. What are they?
Difference between Zakat and Tax
The first and most fundamental difference is the purpose of zakat and tax. Muslims are obliged to pay zakat with the aim of purifying the soul and cleaning the wealth. Because, in every asset that we work for, there are rights of people in need.
Zakat is commanded directly by Allah Swt, even the command is always coupled with the command to pray. This means that this act of worship is as important as prayer. One of the verses is in surah Al-Baqarah verse 43, “And establish the prayer, pay the zakat and bow with those who bow”.
Tax, on the other hand, is a government agreement that is confirmed in law, and must be obeyed by the people. The purpose of taxes is so that people in a country can obtain social facilities fairly and evenly. Not only those from the lower middle economy, but also those from the upper middle economy also feel the positive impact of the taxes that have been paid. For example, the construction of social facilities such as highways, toll roads, BPJS, education subsidies, and so on.
Apart from its purpose, the difference between zakat and tax also exists:
1. The Way of Management
The management of zakat and tax is different. Zakat managers are called amil, those who can be trusted to manage zakat. If the mosque management is healthy, there is usually a zakat committee. Apart from mosques, amil zakat can also be found in trusted social institutions or national amil institutions, one of which is Dompet Dhuafa.
Meanwhile, the tax manager is the state. The manager is the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) who has been selected and chosen by the state in the institution of the Directorate General of Taxes (DGT). The community is not allowed to create their own state tax management. Tax management has been regulated in the law.
2. Beneficiary Groups
Zakat and tax have two different beneficiaries. Zakat is specifically channeled to the eight asnaf that have been determined in Surah At-Taubah verse 60. You can read more details about the 8 groups of zakat beneficiaries in the article Here are 8 Groups of People Eligible to Receive Zakat According to the Quran. The distribution can be in the form of funds, food, or empowerment programs.
Meanwhile, the distribution of taxes is not only to help the little people. Taxes are channeled to every sector of society in a broad scope. Such as education, economy, regional infrastructure, which can be enjoyed by all residents of the country. In addition, taxes are also used to pay officials and civil servants.
3. Conditions Imposed to Pay
In addition to being different at the end of the mouth, the difference between zakat and tax can also be seen from the conditions of the person who pays. The requirements for a person to pay zakat are being a Muslim, being of sound mind, being an adult, and having assets that have reached the nisab and haul. The nisab of zakat has been determined in the hadith and ijtima’ of the scholars. You can find out more details in the article How to Calculate Zakat Correctly According to Islam.
Meanwhile, the tax requirement is seen from the minimum income earned by a resident. The amount has been determined by each country. Taxes are imposed on all residents regardless of their religion. As long as the monthly income has met the requirements, then the person is obliged to pay taxes.
In Indonesia, taxpayers are regulated in the Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) Number 101/PMK.010/2016. Residents who are taxed are those who have an income of IDR 54 million, in one year. This means that residents who have an income of at least IDR4.5 million a month are obliged to pay taxes to the state.
4. Payment Tools and Amounts Used
Zakat and tax have different means of payment. People pay their taxes in money. Zakat, on the other hand, can be paid in the form of staple foods, agricultural products, livestock, or cash.
The amount of tax imposed also varies. For income of IDR4.5-50 million, a 5% tax fee is charged. Monthly income of IDR50-250 million is subject to 15% tax. Income of IDR250-500 million, taxed at 25%. Monthly income above Rp500 million is taxed at 30%.
As for zakat, if it has reached the nisab, no matter how much cash you have, the amount is fixed at 2.5%. The value is much smaller than tax. This difference is reasonable, because zakat is focused on helping fellow Muslims. Tax, on the other hand, is aimed at developing the country, which requires a larger amount.
If the zakat paid is on agricultural and livestock products, the value is not calculated from 2.5%. Each crop and livestock has its own nisab that has been determined by Sharia. To find out the nisab and zakat rate, you can read the article Understanding Zakat, Terms, and Types Complete According to Islam.
5. Time of Payment
The last difference between zakat and tax is the time of payment. There are two times to pay zakat. The first is the time to pay zakat fitrah, which is during the month of Ramadan, before the month of Shawwal arrives. The second is the time to pay maal zakat, where the assets owned have reached nisab and haul.
As for taxes, Indonesia has set the payment time, which is on the 10th of each month. If a taxpayer is late in paying his tax, he will be subject to a fine of 2% per month. This is calculated from the due date to the date of payment.
Zakat and Tax must be paid
Those are some of the differences between zakat and tax, from the purpose to the application. It is a mistake if we feel that we have paid zakat and do not want to pay taxes, and vice versa. Zakat and tax have their own functions and roles. As a Muslim who obeys Allah Swt, we are obliged to pay zakat if we have met the requirements.
If our monthly income has reached the minimum taxpayer standard, then we also need to pay taxes as determined by the law. Through tax funds, we contribute together to improve the quality of national development, be it human resource development or Indonesia’s infrastructure development.
