Sebenernya pajak ama zakat itu sama enggak sih. Ada yang bilang sama. Sampe-sampe bikin buku Zakat=Pajak. Namun, perlu diingat...setahu saya para 'ulama kibar baik dari generasi salaf maupun khalaf menyatakan bahwa zakat berbeda dengan pajak. Daripada bingung, saya kutipkan sebuah posting dari www.dhuha.net. Selamat menyimak.
Question:
Respected scholars, As-salamu `alaykum. As a Canadian Muslim I pay taxes to the government, which takes up a major portion of my income. It is my understanding that a portion of the taxes thus collected by the government goes to the poor and those who work to collect them. This being the case, can I consider myself as being absolved from the duty of paying zakah? Jazakum Allahu khayran.