Zakat (Arabic: زكاة‎ zakāh [zaˈkaːh], "that which purifies", also Zakat al-mal [zaˈkaːt alˈmaːl] زكاة المال, "zakat on wealth", or Zakah) is a form of alms-giving treated in Islam as a religious obligation or tax, which, by Quranic ranking, is next after prayer (salat) in importance.As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. It is a mandatory charitable contribution, often considered to be a tax. The payment and disputes on zakat have played a major role in the history of Islam, notably during the Ridda wars.Zakat is based on the value of all of one's possessions.