Zakat is a basic to Islam as other forms of worship, such as prayer nad fasting. Its main importance lies in the fact that it fosters in us the qualities of sacrifice and rids us of selfishness and greed. Islam wants only those people who are ready to give in God's way from their hard earned wealth willingly and without expecting any temporal or personal gain. It has nothing to with misers. A true Muslim shall, when the call comes, sacrifice all his belongings in the way of God, for Zakat has already trained him for such sacrifice.