The Distribution of Zakat: A Comparison between the Rate of Niṣāb and the Rate of Poverty Line Income in Malaysia

Zakat plays a significant role in Muslim community as an agent in alleviating the poverty. The calculation of zakat payment depends of the calculation of nisab, which is the least amount of zakatable items of a Muslim wealth in one circle year. The zakat is an obligatory duty to a Muslim once the amount of wealth reaches the least level of nisab. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the niṣāb amount changes and the poor indication in Malaysia. This is based on the discussion of the contemporary scholars, who claimed that the price fluctuation in the world market impacts the amount of niṣāb of zakāt. Relatively, it could affect the poor once the price dropped. Therefore, the comparative analyses of the annually niṣāb and poverty line income data from 1993 to 2015 identifies that there is a significant correlation between the facts. Accordingly, it is an alert to the zakāt institution to take a precautionary step in preventing this situation