Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Zakat, like prayer, is a means by which Muslims draw near to Allah, and it is obligatory upon them. Whoever does not pay zakat with a willing and contented heart, hoping for a return better than it [from Allah], is ignorant of the divine sunnah, is bankrupt, is astray throughout his life, and will always regret why he abandoned the command of Allah and why he abandoned that to which the righteous servants of Allah were urging him. Allah says: وَ مَنْ یُشاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ ما تَبَیَّنَ لَهُ الهُدی وَ یَتَّبِعْ غَیْرَ سَبیلِ الْمؤْمِنینَ نُوَلِّهِ ما تَوَلَّی [And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become manifest to him, and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to that to which he has turned] — meaning the trust; and whoever is not worthy of it will incur loss.