The Views of Islamic Mystics about Zakāt and Soual

The rites of Sufism, comprising the thoughts and ideas of Muslim mystics, are rooted in Islamic doctrines. But, on the course of evolution, they have undergone some transformations. Muslim mystics have a different view regarding zakāt (religious tax in Islam) as a religious duty, and soual (asking for alms) as a social phenomenon. Islamic mystics believe that zakāt isn’t a necessary religious duty for them; therefore, they recommend soual and begging, preferring it to zakāt. In the present article, after reviewing the views of ahle shariyat (the jurisprudents) and ahle tariqat (the Sufis), we try to analyze the factors that have contributed to the formation of different views of Islamic mystics about zakāt and soual.