USHER

Usher is an obligatory charge on the agricultural produce. It is levied and collected from Muslim land owners. The land owners whether they are grantees, allottes, lessees, lease holders will pay ‘Usher’ on their agricultural produce. However, the persons who are eligible to receive ‘Zakat’, are exempt to pay ‘Usher’ under shariah. The landowners whose produce from the agricultural land is less than 948 kilograms of wheat or its equivalent in value in the case of other crops, are also excluded from the compulsory charge of ‘Usher’.

    Rates of Usher. The Zakat of the produce of the land collected from Muslim land owners is named as ‘Usher’ the rate of ‘Usher’ is one-tenth of the produce in case of irrigated land and one-twentieth if land is irrigated by rainfall. Usher is the first charge on the produce of land and is to be collected in cash only.

    Usher may not be considered merely as a land tax. It is a levy on the produce of land and its payments is ordained by God. The holy Quran says , O believers! Spend in the way of Allah the best portion of wealth you have earned and of that we have produced from you from the earth.

     Uses of Usher. Usher revenue is collected and distributed to the poor of the society. The payment of usher is not out of mercy and kindness for the needy persons. It is a moral obligation and religious duty of every land owners to pay usher so that the needs of the poor are adequately met. If the rich are not doing their duty to pay this compulsory levy. Allah will take them to task on the day of judgment. Usher, thus, is a source of transferring wealth from the rich to the poor for fair distribution of income and welfare of the poor section of the society.