Cleanse the soul & the body ...how???
From a study of the Holy Quran and Traditions of the Holy Prophet, it transpires that there are three objectives of Zakat (poor-due). One is basic and specific and the other two are secondary and collective.
The basic and essential objective of Zakat is purification of the soul. It cures the lust for wealth, infuses the feat Allah in mans heart and makes one amenable to good deeds. The Holy Quran says: And away from it (Hell) shall be kept the most pious one, who gives away his wealth in order to purify himself. (XCIL:17-18)
On another occasion Allah addresses and exhorts the Holy Prophet (Pbuh) in these words: Take alms of their wealth, wherewith you may cleanse and purify them. (9: 103)
These verses make the real importance of Zakat quite clear: it aims to emancipate the heart from temporal preoccupations and purifies the soul.
It is an acknowledged fact that the love of material things is the real enemy of prayer. It turns a man away from Allah and the After-life. The Holy Prophet once said: The root of all evil is the love of worldly things. (Mishkat)
Although temporal love includes many things the most powerful and dangerous of all is the love of material wealth. The Holy Prophet has, therefore, regarded it as the greatest of all evils for the Muslims: The trial for my Ummah is wealth. (Tirmidhi)
If a Muslim can save himself from the lure of wealth, he will be able to protect himself from many other vices.
Because of its basic aim and purpose, poor-due is known as zakat in Islam. Literally it means both purification and growth. To give a portion of ones income to the needy for the pleasure of Allah is called Zakat because it purifies the soul. It must, however, be remembered that the aim of zakat is achieved only when its payment is motivated by sincere desire and practical effort. The pleasure of Allah should be the first and foremost consideration while paying Zakat. It must be free from every other motive.
Zakat should be paid out of the income earned only by fair and honest means. Whatever is paid should be respectable. If cheap and worthless stuff is given in zakat it will go in vain. It will be no better than a hypocritical gesture.
Zakats beneficiary should neither be made to feel grateful for it, nor should his feelings and self-respect be hurt. Otherwise, Zakat will cease to have any meaning.
One secondary objective of the poor-due is to provide basic necessities to poor Muslims. The Holy Prophet said: Verily Allah has ordained the payment of Zakat on them (Muslims). It will be taken from the rich and returned to the poor. (Muslim)
These Traditions make it quite obvious that there is also a social and economic aspect of the poor-due without which its Islamic concept remains incomplete.
The other secondary objective of Zakat is the help and support of Islam. While giving the details of the beneficiaries of Zakat the Holy Quran says: The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and for those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarers. (9:60)
The words the cause of Allah denote the struggle waged for Islam,
zakat in islam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF0v1gz8IZo
Dr. Zakir Naik Q&A Wealth, Zakat and its testing in Islam
Islamic Research Foundation