A common mistake in
ZAKAT CALCULATION?????????????
I WAS DOING THIS MISTAKE ................3 years back..........
Recently I found my close relatives were also doing same mistake .........So I wanted to share........
(PLEASE CONFIRM IT FROM ULEMA ...........BOTH CASE OF BEING IT right/ Wrong inform in comment .........I HAVE CONFIRMED FROM Very Good Alim and Mufti...............But still everyone is requested to confirm it and .....Please share in comment ..................) It is very important please Share.........
MISTAKE ????????????
SUPPOSE ONE PERSON ........Ahmad is getting money in this manner/ Monthly manner/ Actually all salaried class get money in this manner.........
..........If someone is getting 5 lakh Rs in January........His year will complete in next January......
............................He is getting again 60 thousand in March.............His year will complete in next March........
............................. He is getting again 4 lakh in August.................His year will complete in next aUGUST
If he calculate by keeping in 1 year that mean he has to give ............zakat every month..................Suppose he is getting money every 15 Days How he will calculate........................
CORRECT METHOD IS .............
Fix a date in a year..............SAY FOR EXAMPLE ..................10th Ramzan...........Every year what ever money you have on 10 th Ramzan ................Give zakat of that Money
.............Provided You have never have been less than the NISAB Money (Money on which zakat is admissible)..............
ZAKAT CALCULATOR ONLINE LINK
You can go to this link for zakat Calculator ONLINE http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/zcalc.htm
BELOW IS THE FATWA CONCERNING ASPECT OF ZAKAT FROM askimam.com
Title
When I give Zakat for previous years, what should I intend? Can I
give Zakat through a website? Must I give Zakat according to the lunar
year?
Fatwa#
19111
Asked Country
United Kingdom
Question
I
have tried to work out to the best of my ability (inshaAllah) how much
Zakah to give for previous years that I missed and current year. I'm
giving more than I should -- I think -- to be on safe side. However,
I need to know how to give it away now:
1) What should the niyat (intention) be for previous years?
2) I think you're supposed to give it directly to the poor but can I give through charity websites? Isn’t this through a 3rd party?
3)
Also I'm confused about lunar year and normal year. My Zakah is every
06/June annually in the normal year but how do I give in every lunar
year? Please explain all this to me.
Answer
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
1) Your intention should simply be of giving Zakat for the previous years.
2) If Zakat is due upon you, you should exercise precaution by personally discharging the Zakat to a recipient of Zakat. You should only pay your Zakat through an organization if you are satisfied that they are reliable and trustworthy and that they will deliver the entire amount to eligible recipients of Zakat. You must also inform them that it is Zakat money that you are giving them, not optional charity etc. This is because (unlike optional charity etc) Zakat can only be given to eligible poor Muslims in such a way that they are made the owners of the amount. Zakat money cannot be spent on: welfare projects such as constructing wells and buildings; advertising campaigns, supporting the running costs of an organization etc, as no one is made the owner in these cases. The obligatory nature of Zakat demands that one is cautious in regards to it.
3) Zakat becomes compulsory exactly one lunar year after a person first becomes the owner of ‘zakatable’ assets (such as money, gold, silver, merchandise, etc.) equivalent to or more than the Nisaab (value of 612.35 grams of silver). Thereafter, Zakat will be compulsory on the zakatable assets that he possesses on the same date every lunar year (that is if his zakatable assets are equal to or above the Nisaab).
If the first time that you acquired money equal to or above the Nisaab was on the 6th of June, then you must find out the Hijri date of the 6th of June of that year. There are some websites that convert Gregorian dates to Hijri dates.
Once
you discover the Hijri date, you must assess your zakatable assets on
that Hijri date every year and give Zakat based on your assessment. For
example, if the first time that you acquired money over the Nisaab was
on the 10th of Ramadan of this year, then starting from next year, every year on the 10th
of Ramadan, you must assess your zakatable assets and give Zakat based
on your assessment (if your zakatable assets are equal to or more than
the Nisaab).
(Al-lubaab: pg 149, Dar Quba; Al-Ikhtiyaar: 1/149, Dar Quba; Contemporary Fatawaa: pg 79, Idara-e-Islamiat)
And Allāh knows best.
Ml. Faizal Riza
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Concurred by:
Muftī Abrar Mirza
Chicago, IL (USA)
Chicago, IL (USA)
Under the Supervision of Muftī Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)
BELOW IS THE DETAIL ACCOUNT OF ZAKAT (Nisab detail of different Items in the article is according hadith understanding of imam Abu haneefa Jurisprudence)
ZAKAAT:
The person who has
some wealth and still does not take out zakaat for
it is regarded as a great sinner in the sight of Allah Ta'ala.
He will be severely punished on the day of judgement.
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
said: "The person who possesses gold and silver and does not give zakaat for it, then on the day of judgement,
slabs of fire will be made for him. These slabs will be heated in the fire of
jahannam and his sides, forehead and back will be
branded with them. When these slabs become cool, they will be re-heated and
the entire process will be repeated." Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "The person
who has been given wealth by Allah Ta'ala and
despite this does not give zakaat for it, then on
the day of judgement this wealth of his will be
turned into a huge poisonous snake which will encircle his neck. It will then
tear the sides of his mouth apart and tell him: 'I am your wealth and I am
your treasures.'" We seek refuge in Allah Ta'ala.
Who can bear such severe punishment? It is the height of foolishness and
stupidity that we are prepared to pay such a great penalty for a little greed
and selfishness on our part. It is extremely foolish and improper to refuse
to spend in the path of Allah the wealth that Allah Himself has granted to us.
1. If a person
possesses 612.35 grams of silver or 87.479 grams of gold or any currency that
equals the value of this amount of gold or silver, and this wealth remains in
his possession for a complete year, then on the expiry of this year it will
be wajib on him to give zakaat
for it. If his wealth is less than this, zakaat
will not be wajib. If it is more than this, zakaat will still be wajib.
2. A person
possessed the complete nisaab for about four to six
months. Thereafter, this nisaab decreased, and
after about three months he acquired some other wealth (and he once again
possesses the complete nisaab, even in such a case zakaat will be wajib on him. In
other words, if a person possesses the nisaab at
the beginning and at the end of the year, zakaat
will be wajib on him. By the nisaab
decreasing during the course of the year, one is not absolved of giving one’s
zakaat. However, if his entire wealth is lost and
he finds it later, then the beginning of the year will be calculated from the
time that he finds his wealth. (The period prior to that will not be
calculated).
3. A person
possessed the nisaab but prior to the expiry of one
year all his wealth is lost and it was not in his possession for the complete
year. In such a case zakaat will not be wajib.
4. A person
possesses the full nisaab and also has debts which
equal the nisaab. In such a case zakaat will not be wajib.
5. If his debts are
such that if he were to fulfil his debts he will
have a remainder of wealth which will equal the nisaab,
then zakaat will be wajib
on him.
6. Zakaat is wajib on jewellery, utensils, ornaments, and brocades that have
been made with gold or silver. This is irrespective of whether these items
are in use or not. In other words, zakaat is wajib on everything that is made of gold or silver. However,
if they are less than the nisaab, zakaat will not be wajib.
7. If the gold or
silver is not pure but has been mixed with another metal, then one will have
to check as to which is more in content. If the gold or silver is more, then
the rules which are applicable to both will apply here as well. That is, if
they equal the nisaab, zakaat
will be wajib. If the content of the other metal is
more than that of the gold or silver, it will not be regarded as gold or
silver. The rules that apply to brass, copper, steel, tin, etc. will also
apply to this metal. These rules will be discussed later.
8. A person does
not have the complete nisaab of gold nor of silver.
Instead, he has a bit of gold and a bit of silver. If both are added together
and their value equals the nisaab of gold or silver,
zakaat will be wajib. But
if they do not equal the nisaab of either gold or
silver after adding them together, zakaat will not
be wajib. If the nisaab
of gold or silver is complete, there is no need to obtain their value.
9. Assuming that
the price of 11.664 grams of gold is R25, and for R1 we can get 17.496 grams
of silver and a person possesses double this amount of gold (i.e. 23.328
grams) plus R5 both of which is over and above his needs. Furthermore, he has
this gold and cash in his possession for a full year. In such a case, zakaat will be wajib. This is
because the 23.328 grams of gold equals R50, and for
R50 one can purchase 874.8 grams of silver (50x17.496g). In addition to this,
if the R5 were to be added together, this will result in a lot of wealth upon
which zakaat will be wajib.
However, if he only possesses the 23.328 grams of gold and does not have any
cash or silver; zakaat will not be wajib.
10. Assuming that
we get 23.328 grams of silver for R1 and a person only possesses R30. Zakaat will not be wajib and we
will not calculate and say that R30 equals 699.84 grams of silver (i.e. 30 x 23.328
= 699.84) based on the fact that the rand is actually in place of the silver
and when we only have gold or silver, then we will
take the weight into consideration and not the value. (This rule will only
apply when the coins used to be made of silver. These days, coins are made of
copper and other cheap metals. We even receive them in return for currency
notes. Now the ruling will be that the person who possesses coins or notes
equal to the current value of the nisaab of gold or
silver, zakaat on this will be wajib.)
11. A person had
money equal to the nisaab which was over and above
his needs. Prior to the expiry of the year, he received an additional amount.
This additional amount will not be calculated separately. Instead, it will be
added to the original amount and upon the expiry of the year, zakaat will be wajib on the
entire amount and it will be regarded as if the original amount and the
additional amount was in his possession for one full
year.
12. A person had
silver which was equal to the nisaab. Prior to the
expiry of the year, he received an amount of gold (whether more or less than
the amount of nisaab). This amount will not be
calculated separately. Instead, it will be added to the original amount of
silver and zakaat will be wajib
on the total amount upon the expiry of that year.
13. With the
exception of gold and silver, the rule regarding all other metals such as
steel, copper, brass, etc., the utensils that are made of these metals, clothing,
footwear, and all other such items is that if these items are for the purpose
of trade, zakaat will be wajib
on them if they reach the nisaab of either gold or
silver and are in the possession of the person for a period of one year. However,
if these items do not reach the nisaab, zakaat will not be wajib. If
these items are not for the purpose of trade, zakaat
will not be wajib irrespective of the amount one
possesses. Even if the value of these items reaches thousands of rands, zakaat will not be wajib as long as they are not for the purpose of trade.
14. Zakaat is not wajib on
household effects such as utensils, pots, big pots, trays, basins, crockery
and glassware, the house in which one lives, the clothes which one wears, jewellery made of pearls, etc. This is irrespective of
the amount and irrespective of whether they are being used daily or not. However,
if they are kept for the purpose of trade, zakaat
will be wajib on them as well. In short, zakaat is not wajib on all
items apart from gold and silver if they are not for the purpose of trade. But
if they are for trade, zakaat will be wajib on them as well.
15. A person owns
several homes from which he collects rent. Zakaat
is not wajib on these homes irrespective of their
value. Similarly, if a person purchases some utensils and hires them out, zakaat will not be wajib on
these utensils. In short, by hiring or renting something out, zakaat does not become wajib on
that thing.
16. Zakaat is not wajib on clothes
irrespective of how expensive they may be. However, if they are embroidered
with gold or silver thread and if this thread were to be removed and weighed
it will be equal to the nisaab, then in such a case
zakaat will be wajib. But
if it does not reach the nisaab, zakaat will not be wajib.
17. A person
possesses some gold or silver, and some goods for trade as well. All these
will have to be calculated together. If they reach the nisaab
of either gold or silver, zakaat will be wajib. If they do not reach the nisaab,
zakaat will not be wajib.
18. Goods for trade
will only be regarded as such if they have been purchased with the intention
of re-sale. If a person purchases some rice or any other item for his
domestic needs or for a wedding, etc. and thereafter decides to sell this
item, zakaat will not be wajib
on this.
19. Zakaat is also wajib on the
money that is owed to a person by his debtors. Debts are of three types:
The First Type: The
person loaned some gold, silver or money, or sold some tradeable
goods to another person. He is owing this money and
only repays his debt after a year or two. If whatever he loaned is equal to
or more than the nisaab, zakaat
will be wajib for all the years that he had loaned
the money.
He did not repay
the debt at once, but in instalments. The moment he
pays an amount equal to the value of 128.304 grams of silver, zakaat will become wajib on him.
But if the person repays the value of 128.304 grams of silver in instalments as well, zakaat
will only become wajib on the completion of this
amount. Each time that this amount is paid, zakaat
on it will have to be given. Whenever the person gives the zakaat, he will also have to pay for all the previous
years in which the zakaat was not paid.
If the money owed
is less than the nisaab, zakaat
will not be wajib on the person. However, if the
person has some other wealth upon which zakaat is
necessary, then this wealth should be added to the money owed. If, after
adding them together, they equal the nisaab, zakaat will be wajib on the
total amount.
20. The Second Type:
A person did not loan any cash nor did he give (on credit) any goods for
trade. Instead, he sold something which was not originally purchased for re-sale,
eg. he sold some of his
personal clothing or some household goods, and the person is still owing him
the money for these items. In addition to this, the amount that he is owing is equal to or more than the nisaab
and he only repays this amount after several years. Zakaat
will be wajib for all the years. If he does not
repay this debt at once, but repays it in instalments,
then as long as the paid up instalments do not
reach the current nisaab of silver or gold, zakaat will not be wajib on the
amount that he collected. The moment an instalment
reaches the current nisaab, zakaat
becomes wajib for all the years in which zakaat was not paid.
21. The Third Type:
The husband owes his wife the mahr (dowry) which
had been stipulated at the time of marriage. He only pays this mahr after several years. Zakaat
will only be calculated from the day that she actually receives her mahr. Zakaat for the previous
years will not be wajib. If the mahr
remains with her for a period of one year after having received it, zakaat will become wajib on her
upon the expiry of one year. But if she does not have the mahr
(for example, if she spends it), zakaat will not be
wajib.
22. A rich person
upon whom zakaat is wajib
gives his zakaat before the expiry of one year and
does not wait until the end of the year. This is permissible and his zakaat will be considered to be fulfilled. But if the
person is not rich and envisaged receiving some money in the near future, and
therefore gave his zakaat before the expiry of the
year, this zakaat of his will not be considered to
be fulfilled. When he receives the money and thereafter a year passes, he
will have to give his zakaat again.
23. It is
permissible for a rich person to give zakaat for
several years beforehand. But if his wealth increases in any given year, he
will have to give zakaat for the extra wealth that
he obtained.
24. A person has R1000
over and above his basic needs. He also envisages receiving another R1000
from somewhere. Before the expiry of the year, he gives zakaat
for the total R2000. This is also permissible. However, if his money gets
less than the nisaab at the end of that year, then zakaat will not be wajib on him
and the zakaat which he had already given will be
regarded as a voluntary charity (sadaqah-e-naafilah).
25. A person had
some wealth for a full year but before he could give the zakaat,
all his wealth was stolen or disappeared in some other way. He will be
absolved from giving zakaat. But if the person
gives his wealth away or causes it to be destroyed in some way or the other, then
he will not be absolved from giving the zakaat. It
will remain wajib upon him.
26. After the
expiry of the year, a person gave all his wealth in charity. Zakaat will not be wajib on him.
27. A person had R2000.
After the expiry of one year, R1000 was stolen or he gave it in charity. He
will be absolved from giving the zakaat of R1000. He
will now only have to give zakaat for R1000.
The Paying of Zakaat:
1. Upon the expiry
of the year, zakaat should be given immediately. It
is not a good habit to delay in carrying out good deeds because it is
possible that death may overcome a person and this duty will still remain on
his shoulders. If the paying of zakaat is delayed
to such an extent that the second year also expires, the person will be a
sinner but he can still repent for this sin and pay the zakaat
immediately. In other words, he should pay the zakaat
that is incumbent upon him at some time or the other in his life and should
not leave it out.
2. Zakaat is wajib on 1/40th of
all the wealth which a person possesses. That is, R2-50 for every R100 or R1
for every R40.
3. At the time of
giving the zakaat to a poor person, one must have
the intention in his heart that he is giving this money as zakaat. If he merely gives it without making any
intention, the zakaat will not be fulfilled. He
will have to give the zakaat again, and he will be
rewarded separately for the money that he had already given.
4. If the person
did not make the intention of giving zakaat at the
time of giving it to the poor person, then as long as that money is still in
the possession of the poor person, he will be able to make the intention. By
making the intention at this stage, his zakaat will
be fulfilled. But if the poor person has already spent that money, then the
intention that is made at this stage will not be considered. He will have to
repeat the payment of his zakaat.
5. A person set
aside R2 to be given as zakaat and decided that
when he comes across a deserving person he will give it to him. However, when
he gave it to the poor person he forgot to make the intention of zakaat. In this case, zakaat
will be fulfilled. But if he did not make the intention of zakaat at the time of setting it aside, his zakaat will not be fulfilled.
6. A person has
taken out his zakaat for distribution. He has the
choice of giving all his zakaat to one person or
distributing it among several persons. He also has the option of giving all
the zakaat on one day or distributing it over
several months.
7. It is better to
give one poor person an amount which will be sufficient for him for that day
so that he will not have to ask anyone else.
8. It is makruh to give one poor person an amount which makes the
giving of zakaat wajib. However,
if it is given, the zakaat will be fulfilled. It is
permissible and not makruh to give an amount that
is less than this.
9. A person comes
to borrow some money and it is known that he is so poor and hard-pressed that
he will be unable to fulfil this debt or that he is
a very bad payer and never fulfils his debts. If the person gives him some zakaat money and also makes this intention in his heart
that he is giving zakaat, then in such a case zakaat will be fulfilled despite the poor person
regarding it as a debt.
10. If a poor
person is given something as a gift, but in his heart the person has the
intention of giving zakaat, even then zakaat will be fulfilled.
11. A poor person is owing you R10. You also have to pay zakaat
for a sum of R10 or more. You forgave the poor person the R10 which he is owing you with the intention of it being zakaat. In such a case, zakaat
will not be fulfilled. However, if you give him another R10 with the
intention of zakaat, zakaat
will be fulfilled. It will now be permissible to take this R10 from him as a fulfilment of his debt.
12. If a person has
so much of silver in his possession that the zakaat
on that silver amounts to 33 grams of silver and the market value of this 33
grams is two silver coins, then it is not permissible to give two silver
coins in zakaat because these two coins do not
weigh 33 grams. And if silver is paid in zakaat
against silver goods, then the weight of the silver being paid is considered
and not the price. However, in the aforementioned case, if gold, metal-base
coins, clothing, etc. to the value of two silver coins is purchased and given
as zakaat, or 33 grams of silver is paid as zakaat, then the zakaat will be
fulfilled.
13. It is
permissible for a person to appoint someone else to give the zakaat on his behalf. If the person to whom the money has
been given does not make the intention of zakaat at
the time of giving the money to a poor person, the zakaat
will still be fulfilled.
14. You gave a
person R2 to be given to another person as zakaat. However,
this person did not give the very same R2 which you had given to him. Instead,
he gave another R2 which was in his personal possession and thought in his
mind that he will take the R2 that you had given him. Even in this case the zakaat will be be
fulfilled. However, this is on the condition that your R2 is in his
possession and he is now taking your R2 in place of his R2. But if he spends
your R2 first and thereafter gives his own R2 to a poor person, zakaat will not be fulfilled. Alternatively, he has your
R2 in his possession, but at the time of giving his R2 he did not make the
intention of taking your R2 later. Even in this case, zakaat
will not be fulfilled. He will now have to give R2 in zakaat
again.
15. If you did not
give him any money but merely asked him to give some zakaat
on your behalf and he does this for you, the zakaat
will be fulfilled. He should now take whatever amount he had paid from you.
16. If a person
pays some zakaat on your behalf without your asking him to do so or without your permission, the zakaat will not be fulfilled. Now, even if you agree or
accept his payment on your behalf, it will not be permissible. He does not even
have the right to collect or ask you for that money.
17. You have given
a person R2 to be given on your behalf as zakaat. This
person has the choice of giving it to a poor person himself or asking a third
person to give it on his behalf. When giving it to this third person he does
not have to mention your name that this zakaat must
be given on behalf of so and so person. If that person gives the money to a
relative of his, or to his parents if he finds them
in need, this is also permissible. However, if the person who was asked to
distribute the zakaat is poor himself; he cannot
take this money for his personal use. But, at the time of giving the money to
him, if you told him to do whatever he likes with the money and that he could
give it to whomsoever he wishes, it will be permissible for him to keep it
for his personal use.
Zakaat on Produce of the Land:
1. A particular
place was in the control of the kuffaar. These kuffaar used to live there and lead their normal lives in
that place. Thereafter, the Muslims invaded that place, waged war with the
inhabitants, captured the place and propagated Islam therein. The Muslim
ruler confiscated all the land of that place and distributed it among the
Muslims. In the Shariah, such land is referred to
as "ushri" land. If all the inhabitants
of that place accepted Islam willingly and there was no need to wage a war
against them, all the land of that place will still be regarded as ushri land. All Arab lands are also ushri
lands.
2. If a person owns
an ushri land which has come down to him from his
forefathers or purchases it from a Muslim who inherited it from his forefathers,
zakaat will be wajib on
whatever produce that comes out of this land. The method of paying zakaat for such a land is that the person will have to
see how the land was irrigated. If it was irrigated entirely by rain water or
if the crops were planted on the banks of a river or stream and these crops
grew without having to irrigate them, then one tenth of the total produce of
such a plantation will have to be given as zakaat. However,
if the plantation was irrigated through any other mechanical means, one
twentieth of the total produce will have to be given as zakaat.
The same rule applies to an orchard which is on such a land. This is
irrespective of the amount of produce, i.e. zakaat
will be wajib irrespective of whether the produce
is of a considerable amount or very little.
3. The same rule
applies to corn, vegetables, esculent vegetables, fruit, flowers, etc.
4. If honey is
obtained from an ushri land, from the jungle or a
mountain, zakaat on this honey will also be wajib.
5. A person planted
a tree in his yard or planted vegetables or some other seed and later it bore
some fruit. Zakaat on such produce is not wajib.
6. An ushri land does not remain ushri
when it is purchased by a kaafir. Later, if a
Muslim repurchases it or obtains it in some other way, it will not become an ushri land.
7. This one tenth
and one twentieth which we have mentioned, is it wajib
on the person who owns the land or on the person who owns the produce of the
land? There is a difference of opinion among the ulama
in this regard. In order to facilitate matters, we generally say that it is wajib on the person who owns the produce of the land. If
the land is given out on lease, zakaat will be wajib on the person who owns the produce. This is
irrespective of whether he pays the rent in cash or gives some produce of the
land as a form of payment. But if the seeds were provided by the land owner, zakaat will be wajib on both
the land owner and the person who owns the produce according to their
respective shares.
Zakaat on Livestock:
1. The passing of
one full year is a prerequisite for zakaat on all
livestock.
2. Zakaat is fard on livestock. Livestock
refers to the animal in which the following factors are found:
(a) It must graze
freely for a major portion of the year. It must not be fed in its stable. If
it spends half the year grazing freely and half the year in it's stable; it will not be regarded as livestock. Similarly,
if hay or straw is brought to its stable and it feeds on that hay or straw, it
will not be regarded as livestock irrespective of whether this hay or straw
was purchased or not.
(b) It must be kept
for its milk, for the purpose of pro-creation, or in order to fatten it. If
it is not kept for any of these purposes, and instead, is kept for its meat
or as a means of transportation, it will not be regarded as livestock.
3. The prerequisite
for zakaat on livestock is that it must be a camel,
bull, buffalo, goat, or sheep. The female of each is also included. Zakaat is not wajib on wild
animals such as buck. However, if these wild animals are kept for the purpose
of trade, then the zakaat of tradeable
goods will be wajib on them as well. The animal
that is born through copulation between a domestic animal and a wild animal
will fall under the classification of its mother. That is, if the mother was
a domestic animal, it will also be regarded as a domestic animal. But if the
mother was a wild animal, it will also be regarded as such, e.g. if an animal
is born from a buck and female goat, the animal will be classified as a goat.
If an animal is born from a white antelope and a cow, the animal will be
classified as a cow.
4. An animal which
was from among one's livestock was sold during the course of the year with
the intention of trade. Zakaat will not have to be
given on that animal for that year. The year for that animal will be
calculated from the time that the person intended to use it for the purpose
of trade.
5. There is no zakaat on young animals which are alone. However, if one
is in possession of older animals together with younger animals, zakaat will be obligatory on both young and old animals. Furthermore,
the zakaat itself will be paid with the older and
not the younger animals. However, if the older animals die after the expiry
of one year, zakaat will be waived.
6. There is no zakaat on animals which have been made waqf for the sake of Allah.
7. Zakaat is wajib on horses which
graze if both the male and the female of the species are together. One dinar per horse will have to be given. Alternatively, the
value of all the horses should be calculated and one fortieth of the total be
given as zakaat.
8. Zakaat is not wajib on donkeys
and mules if they are not for trade.
The Nisaab for Camels:
It should be
remembered that zakaat becomes fard
on five camels. If a person possesses less than five camels, zakaat will not be fard. In
order to understand the zakaat on camels easily, the
following table should be consulted:
1. If the number of
camels is more than 200, the same method of calculation as has been followed
from 150 onwards should be continued.
2. If a person
possesses camels and gives a camel as zakaat, then
this camel which he is giving as zakaat will have
to be a female camel. However, if a male camel is of the same value as that
of a female camel, it will be permissible to give a male camel.
The Nisaab for Cattle:
Bulls and buffaloes
fall under the category of cattle. The nisaab for
both is also the same. If the nisaab of cattle can
be completed by adding both together, then both will have to be added and zakaat given accordingly. For example, if there are 20
bulls and 10 buffaloes, both will be added together thereby completing the nisaab of 30. However, when paying the zakaat, the animal that is more in number will have to be
given. In other words, if there are more bulls, then bulls will have to be
given. If there are more buffaloes, buffaloes will have to be given as zakaat. But if the buffaloes and bulls are equal in
number, then the cheap animal of the category which is regarded as more
valuable should be given or the expensive animal of the category which is
regarded as less valuable should be given. The following table may be
consulted for zakaat on cattle:
The Nisaab for Sheep and Goats:
As regards zakaat for sheep and goats, the nisaab
for both is the same. If the number of goats and the number of sheep reaches
the nisaab individually, the zakaat
of both will be given together and the number of sheep and goats will be
added together and zakaat given of the total number.
If the number of each does not reach the nisaab, even
then both will be added together in order to complete the nisaab.
The animal that is more in number will be given as zakaat.
But if both are equal in number, one has the choice of giving whichever one
wishes. The following table may be consulted for zakaat
on sheep and goats:
Who is Entitled to
Receive Zakaat:
1. The person who
possesses the nisaab of either gold or silver, or
trade goods which equal the nisaab of either gold
or silver is regarded as a rich person in the Shariah.
It is not permissible to give zakaat money to him. Nor
is it permissible for him to accept or consume zakaat
money. Similarly, the person who has belongings which are not for the
purposes of trade but are over and above his basic needs,
is also considered to be a rich person. It is not permissible to give zakaat money to such a person as well. Furthermore, although
he is regarded as a rich person, zakaat is not wajib on him.
2. The person who
has very little wealth or has no wealth at all to the extent that he does not
have sufficient food for one day is regarded as a poor person. It is
permissible to give zakaat to such a person. It is
also permissible for him to accept zakaat money.
3. Large utensils, expensive
carpets, etc. which are very occasionally used in weddings and other
functions are not regarded as necessary items.
4. The following
things are regarded as necessities of life: a house to stay in, clothes that
are worn, slaves for domestic purposes, and furniture that is in use. If a
person possesses these things, he will not be regarded as a rich person
irrespective of the value of these items. It is therefore permissible to give
zakaat to such a person. In the same way, the books
and other essentials of a learned person are also included among the
necessities of life.
5. A person owns
several properties from which he receives rent. The income of these
properties is used to run his own home. Alternatively,
a person possesses a few cows from which he receives a certain amount of
income. Despite this, he has a very large number of dependents whereby he
cannot live a comfortable life and always finds himself in difficulties. Nor
does he have any wealth upon which zakaat could be wajib. It is therefore permissible to give zakaat to such a person as well.
6. A person has R1000
in cash with him. However, he is also in debt for an amount of over a
thousand rands. It is permissible to give him zakaat as well. However, if his debt is less than R1000, then
this amount that he is owing will be subtracted from
the cash that he possesses. Thereafter we will have to see whether the balance
that he has is more than the nisaab of zakaat or less than it. If the balance is more than the nisaab, zakaat cannot be given
to him. But if it is less, then zakaat can be given
to him.
7. A person may be
a very rich person at home. However, while on a journey, all his money got
stolen or exhausted in some other way to such an extent that he does not even
have sufficient funds to reach his eventual destination. It will be
permissible to give zakaat to such a person. Similarly,
a person who is travelling for hajj and who may be
a rich person can also be given zakaat money if all
his money gets spent.
8. Zakaat cannot be given to a kaafir.
It will have to be given to a Muslim. All forms of charity can be given to a kaafir except the following: zakaat,
ushr, sadaqatul fitr, nazr, and kaffarah.
9. Zakaat funds cannot be used for the building of a musjid, for the shrouding and burial of a deceased person,
for the payment of debts on behalf of a deceased person, or for any other
noble purpose. As long as zakaat is not given to
the rightful person, it will not be considered to be fulfilled.
10. Zakaat cannot be given to one's ascendents.
That is, to one's parents, maternal and paternal grand-parents and even great
grand-parents. In the same way, zakaat cannot be
given to one's descendants. That is, to one's children, grand-children, great
grand-children, etc. In the same way, the husband and wife cannot give zakaat to each other.
11. Apart from the
above mentioned, it is permissible to give zakaat
to all other relatives such as one's brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, maternal
and paternal uncles and aunts, step father or step mother, step grandfather, father-in-law,
mother-in-law, etc.
12. It is not
permissible to give zakaat to immature children if
their father is rich. If the children are mature and poor, but their father
is rich, it will be permissible to give zakaat to
them.
13. If the father
of an immature child is not rich but the mother is, it will be permissible to
give zakaat to that child.
14. It is not
permissible to give zakaat to the progeny of Hadrat Faatimah radiallahu anha, the progeny of
Hadrat Ali radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Abbas radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Ja'far radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Aqeel radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Haarith bin Abdul Muttalib radiallahu anhu. Similarly, the
charities which have been made wajib by the Shariah cannot be given to the progeny of the above Sahabah. Such charities are, nazr, kaffarah, ushr, sadaqatul fitr. Apart from these, all other charities can be given
to them.
15. It is
permissible to give zakaat to one's Muslim servants,
workers, employees, etc. However, this zakaat
should not be included in their wages or salaries. Instead, it should be
given separately as a gift. At the time of giving this gift to them, one should
have the intention in his heart that he is giving zakaat.
16. It is
permissible to give zakaat to one's foster mother
and foster children.
17. The mahr of a woman was fixed at R1000. However, the husband
cannot fulfil this due to poverty. It will be
permissible to give zakaat to such a woman. It will
also be permissible to give zakaat to her if her
husband is rich but refuses to give, or if she has absolved him from giving
the mahr. If the woman knows that if she had to ask
her husband for her mahr, he will give it to her
without hesitation, it will not be permissible to
give zakaat to her.
18. A person gave zakaat to another person thinking that he is poor. Later,
he learnt that this person was rich or he was a sayyid.
Alternatively, he gave it to someone on a dark night and later realized that
the person to whom he had given the zakaat was actually
his mother or daughter, or any other relative to whom zakaat
is not permissible. In all these cases, zakaat will
be considered to be fulfilled and there will be no need to repeat the payment
of zakaat. However, if the person to whom the zakaat was given learns that this was actually zakaat money and that he is not eligible to receive zakaat, he should return the zakaat
money. If the person who gave the zakaat learns
that the person to whom he had given the zakaat was
actually a kaafir, he will have to give zakaat again.
19. A person has a
doubt as to whether a certain person is rich or poor. Zakaat
should not be given to him until it has been ascertained whether he is
eligible to receive zakaat or not. If zakaat is given to him without ascertaining his financial
position, the person should check with his heart and see to which side his
heart is more inclined. If his heart tells him that the person is poor, zakaat will be fulfilled. If his heart tells him that the
person is rich, zakaat will not be fulfilled and
will therefore have to be repeated. But if he establishes the fact that he is
indeed a poor person after having given the zakaat
to him, then he does not have to give the zakaat
again.
20. At the time of
giving zakaat and all other forms of charity, one
should first take one's relatives into consideration. However, when giving
them this zakaat, they should not be told that it
is zakaat so that they do not feel offended. It is
mentioned in the Hadith that by giving charity to
one's relatives one receives a double reward - one reward for giving charity,
and one for showing kindness to one's relatives. After giving the relatives, if
there is any remainder, it should be given to outsiders.
21. It is makruh to send the zakaat of
one place to another place. However, it will not be makruh
to do so in the following instances: (1) if one's poor relatives live at
another place, (2) the inhabitants of that place are more deserving than the
inhabitants of this place, (3) the inhabitants of that place are more
involved in deeni activities. There is great reward
in sending zakaat to students of deen and pious ulama.
Miscellaneous Masa'il on Zakaat:
1. If a person
mixes his halaal wealth with haraam
money, zakaat will have to be given on the total
amount.
2. If a person
passes away without paying the zakaat which was wajib on him, zakaat will not
be taken from his wealth. But if he makes a bequest that his zakaat must be paid from his wealth, then this zakaat will be taken from one third of his wealth irrespective
of whether this one third will be sufficient for the payment of his zakaat or not. If his inheritors agree to give from the
balance of his wealth (i.e. more than the one third), it will be permissible
to take from this balance according to the amount that the inheritors specify.
3. If the creditor
forgives his debtor from paying his debt after the expiry of one year, the
creditor will not have to pay zakaat on this money
for that year. However, if the debtor is a rich person, the creditor's
forgiving him will be regarded as if he is destroying his wealth. The
creditor will therefore have to give zakaat on this
wealth. This is because the destroying of zakaatable
wealth does not absolve one from paying zakaat.
4. The giving of
optional charities is only mustahab when one's
wealth is over and above one's necessities and the necessities of one's
family members. If it is not so, it will be makruh
to give optional charities. Similarly, it is also makruh
to give all one's wealth to charity. However, if the person has full
conviction on his trust in Allah Ta'ala and on his
ability to exercise patience and there is no possibility of any harm
befalling his family, it will not be makruh to do so. Instead, it will be better to give all
his wealth in charity.TAKEN WITH THANKS http://www.central-mosque.com/fiqh/Zakat.htm
