What is lillah and how is it different from zakat?
Lillah is voluntary charity given "for Allah", with no fixed amount and no limits on who or what it can help. Zakat is an obligatory 2.5% that can only go to the eight groups named in the Quran. You'll mostly see "lillah" on mosque and charity donation forms in the UK and USA.
What "lillah" means
"Lillah" is Arabic for "for Allah". In South Asian Muslim communities, and now across British and American mosques, it's the name for general donations that aren't zakat. Fiqh books usually just call this sadaqah (voluntary charity). Charities use "lillah" so they know they can spend the money on anything good: building a mosque, paying a teacher, running a food bank, fixing the roof.
How zakat is different
- Obligation: zakat is a pillar of Islam, due every lunar year on wealth above the nisab. Lillah is optional.
- Amount: zakat is 2.5% on most savings. Lillah is any amount you like.
- Recipients: zakat goes only to the eight categories in the Quran:
Because of this, most scholars say zakat can't pay for things like building or running a mosque, while lillah can. See Can I give zakat to a mosque?
Lillah vs sadaqah on donation forms
Some UK charities split voluntary giving into two boxes. "Sadaqah" money is spent on the poor and needy, while "lillah" money can go to projects and running costs that don't directly help the poor, such as a mosque extension or staff wages. Not every charity uses the words this way, so read their definitions. For the bigger picture, see What is the difference between zakat and sadaqah?
Which box should I tick?
- Paying your yearly 2.5%? Tick zakat, so the charity keeps it in a restricted zakat fund.
- Want to help with anything good, including buildings? Tick lillah.
- Want your gift to reach poor people only? Tick sadaqah (if offered).
- Never put zakat in a lillah box. It could be spent on things that don't count as zakat.
Before giving, check how the charity handles each fund. See How do I choose a trustworthy charity for my zakat?
Both are rewarded
The Prophet ﷺ said that charity does not decrease wealth (Sahih Muslim 2588). Whether it's an obligation or a gift, what you give for Allah is never lost.
- Lillah means "for Allah": voluntary, any amount.
- Zakat is obligatory, 2.5%, for eight set groups.
- Lillah can fund mosques, schools and running costs.
- Keep zakat in the zakat box so it's spent correctly.
People also ask
Do I pay zakat on luxury watches and handbags?
No, you don't pay zakat on luxury watches and handbags for personal use. Exceptions: items held to resell or invest, and gold or silver content.
Read the full answer →Can zakat pay an imam's salary?
Most scholars say zakat can't pay an imam's salary, as imams aren't among the eight zakat groups. Exceptions: a poor imam, zakat staff, da'wah views.
Read the full answer →Can a wife give charity from her husband's money?
Yes, a wife can give small customary charity from household money and both are rewarded. Larger sums need his permission; her own money is hers.
Read the full answer →Can I give sadaqah so my dua is accepted?
Yes, you can give sadaqah hoping your dua is accepted. Asking Allah by sincere good deeds is allowed, but charity isn't a guaranteed deal.
Read the full answer →Can giving charity cure illness?
Charity can be a means of healing by Allah's permission, but it doesn't replace medicine. See what Islam says about sadaqah for the sick.
Read the full answer →