On whom is zakat obligatory, and what is the nisab?
The question as asked, details removedHow much wealth does a person need before zakat becomes fard on them?More
This is a sample answer written to show how the site works. It follows the standard Hanafi books, but no mufti has reviewed or signed it yet, so it is not a fatwa. For a real answer, ask a question. Ask a mufti
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِكِ الْوَهَّابِ اَللّٰهُمَّ هِدَايَةَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
1Short answer
Zakat is fard on an adult, sane Muslim who owns the nisab, beyond their basic needs and debts, for a full lunar year. The nisab is 612.36 g of silver or 87.48 g of gold; where cash, savings or mixed assets are involved, the silver nisab is used.
2Detailed answer
Zakat becomes fard when all of these are present:
- The person is Muslim, adult and sane.
- They own the nisab: 612.36 g of silver (52.5 tola), or 87.48 g of gold (7.5 tola), or cash, savings or trade goods worth the silver nisab.
- That wealth is beyond their basic needs and is not cancelled out by debts.
- A full lunar (Hijri) year has passed while they own the nisab.
The year starts on the day the nisab is first owned. If the amount goes up and down during the year but the nisab is there at the start and at the end, zakat is due on whatever is owned at the end. Because the silver nisab is low, most people who have savings beyond their needs owe zakat even if they do not own gold.
3Evidence and sources
- Sunan Abi Dawud, Book of Zakat
- Al-Hidayah, Book of Zakat
- Bahar-e-Shariat, chapter on zakat
Arabic texts, translations and how the ruling was derived
فإذا كانت لك مائتا درهم وحال عليها الحول ففيها خمسة دراهم، وليس عليك شيء يعني في الذهب حتى يكون لك عشرون دينارا
Meaning: When you have two hundred dirhams and a year has passed on them, five dirhams are due; and nothing is due on gold until you have twenty dinars.
The hadith sets the nisab of silver at 200 dirhams and of gold at 20 dinars, and requires a year to pass. Our scholars convert these to 52.5 tola (612.36 g) of silver and 7.5 tola (87.48 g) of gold.
وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُهُ أَعْلَمُ صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ