Is Zakaat payable on the money which is paid to a medical insurance scheme?

Answer

A medical insurance company/scheme divides the insured person's premiums into two categories. Up to 25% of the premiums is held in a savings account for the insured person (the member who pays). The savings account is called MSA (medical savings account). The MSA differs from a conventional savings account in a bank in that one has control over the money in one's savings account in the bank. The money could be withdrawn at any time and in any amounts. Regarding the money in the MSA, the insured person has no control. He is not allowed to withdraw cash from his money in the MSA.

The money in the MSA is used only for paying the medical expenses of the insured member. If at the time of terminating his membership, there happens to be a credit balance in the MSA, then the member is refunded in cash. So while he has no control over his money in the MSA during the subsistence of the medical insurance contract, he nevertheless is its owner, and temporary suspension of his control is by voluntary agreement with the

medical insurance scheme.

Since the money remains in his ownership, Zakaat is Waajib. Those who have already fallen in the trap of these haraam schemes, should annually ascertain their credit balance in the MSA and pay Zakaat on it.

As far as the other 75% (the lion's share) of the premiums is concerned, the ownership of the insured person is extinguished. This 75% no longer remains his property. Ownership is transferred to the medical scheme by virtue of the mutual contract between the medical insurance scheme and the insured person. No portion of this 75% is ever refunded to the member. There is therefore no Zakaat on the 75% of the money he has lost.

Conscious of the harmful MSG poison in their products, manufacturers conceal and disguise this ingredient with a number of different chemical names. The following is a list of the deceptive names for the MSG poison: Monosodium Glutamate, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed protein, hydrolyzed plant protein, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured protein (including TVP), corn oil autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed oat flour.

The following are food additives that generally contain MSG: malt extract, stock, seasoning, malt flavouring, flavouring, spices bouillon, natural flavours/flavouring broth. The following food additives may contain the MSG poison: carrageenan, enzymes, soy protein concentrate, soy protein isolate, whey protein concentrate. (MSG: Nicotine for Food by Dr. Ralph Wilson)

Most processed foods contain the MSG poison. Research has established the danger to health posed by MSG (monosodium glutamate). "As little as two tablespoons of it (MSG) has been shown to cause epileptic convulsions and death in animals such as dogs. MSG is a highly reactive amino acid. It is used by scientists in studies to purposely cause death to areas of the brain and it is fed to rodents to make a strain of obese and pre-diabetic subjects. MSG is classified as a neurotoxin, too much of it introduced to the brain can cause rapid cell death. It is this kind of destruction that John Erib states is the cause of ADHD and Autism.

"When a woman becomes pregnant, the placental barrier is not fully formed in the first month of fetal development. The chemicals the mother eats can go directly to the developing child. The glutamate stimulates rapid growth in the brain, creating ADHD symptoms……. Women are being exposed to a major toxin that can cause irreparable damage to their child even before they discover they are pregnant."

"MSG has been hidden in food ingredient lists as hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed yeast extract, soy protein isolate, and many other names. Every year the amount of this substance hidden in foods rises astronomically. Just because the name MSG does not appear on the label does not mean that the food does not contain the excitotoxin glutamate."

"John Erb, author of the book, The Slow Poisoning of America, believes that MSG is the food industry's equivalent of Nicotine. When ingested by human test subjects MSG directly affects the pancreas, stimulating it to triple its standard output of insulin……….The pancreas becomes so out of control that the body starts producing killer T-cells to shut it down."

"Is it any wonder why diabetes, obesity and lethargy in our children are at an all time high? Junk foods, processed foods, even school foods are laced with large amounts of glutamates. Too

much glutamate in the brain over excites the neurons until they die. Many people who suffer from chronic headaches and migraines can trace their trigger to eating too much MSG."

(Reproduced from Global Intelligence Review)

One of the factors of hurmat (prohibition) according to the Shariah is Dharar (Harm). Poison is haraam on account of the harm. Sand is haraam for eating despite its purity. Numerous pure substances are haraam for eating although they are taahir (pure). Since the poisonous effects of the chemical MSG has been authoritatively confirmed, it will not be permissible to consume so-called foods containing this poison.