Question Summary:
Zakat and Lillah

Question Detail:

Kindly   explain the difference between  Zakah  and  Lilah. I  have  been giving  a month contribution  towards  our  local  Mosque    and  have  been  contributing  monthly  toward  an  Aids  Orphanage, is this Zakat?  

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Zakat is a compulsory contribution upon a rich and wealthy Muslim who has excess wealth equivalent to the Nisaab amount which is 612.36 grams of silver or its equivalent amount in cash. This is brief explanation on Zakat.
Lillah is an Arabic word which means ‘for the pleasure of Allah’. This refers to a voluntary contribution. There is no obligation upon a person in a lillah contribution. He may decide not to contribute. If he does decide to contribute, he is a liberty to contribute any amount.
In the case of zakat one has to contribute 2.5%of his excess wealth. In the case of Aids orphanage, you may contribute lillah funds. Zakat is reserved for Muslims only.
And Allah Knows Best. 
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.