Normalized spelling of earlier زَكَوٰة (zakāh), from Aramaic זכותא / ܙܟܘܬܐ (zākūṯā) otherwise attested in the senses of “merit”, “gain; victory” from base stem זכי (zəḵē, “to overcome; to triumph over; to gain”) but not in the sense of “alms”, however in the geminate stem in Jewish Palestinian Aramaic זכי (zakkē) also as “to give possession”, “to give merit” and ultimately “to give charity”. Likewise the noun is not attested but can be inferred from Arabic to have borne in Aramaic the sense of “purity or purification from guilt” as in Palestinian Aramaic the base and geminate stems meant “to be innocent” and “to judge innocent” respectively.
The Arabic root ز ك و (z-k-w) is in part from this noun.
زَكَاة • (zakāh) f (plural زَكَوَات (zakawāt))
| Singular | singular triptote in ـَاة (-āh) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | زَكَاة zakāt |
الزَّكَاة az-zakāt |
زَكَاة zakāt |
| Nominative | زَكَاةٌ zakātun |
الزَّكَاةُ az-zakātu |
زَكَاةُ zakātu |
| Accusative | زَكَاةً zakātan |
الزَّكَاةَ az-zakāta |
زَكَاةَ zakāta |
| Genitive | زَكَاةٍ zakātin |
الزَّكَاةِ az-zakāti |
زَكَاةِ zakāti |
| Dual | Indefinite | Definite | Construct |
| Informal | زَكَاتَيْن zakātayn |
الزَّكَاتَيْن az-zakātayn |
زَكَاتَيْ zakātay |
| Nominative | زَكَاتَانِ zakātāni |
الزَّكَاتَانِ az-zakātāni |
زَكَاتَا zakātā |
| Accusative | زَكَاتَيْنِ zakātayni |
الزَّكَاتَيْنِ az-zakātayni |
زَكَاتَيْ zakātay |
| Genitive | زَكَاتَيْنِ zakātayni |
الزَّكَاتَيْنِ az-zakātayni |
زَكَاتَيْ zakātay |
| Plural | sound feminine plural | ||
| Indefinite | Definite | Construct | |
| Informal | زَكَوَات zakawāt |
الزَّكَوَات az-zakawāt |
زَكَوَات zakawāt |
| Nominative | زَكَوَاتٌ zakawātun |
الزَّكَوَاتُ az-zakawātu |
زَكَوَاتُ zakawātu |
| Accusative | زَكَوَاتٍ zakawātin |
الزَّكَوَاتِ az-zakawāti |
زَكَوَاتِ zakawāti |
| Genitive | زَكَوَاتٍ zakawātin |
الزَّكَوَاتِ az-zakawāti |
زَكَوَاتِ zakawāti |