Does Zakat Count If You Intended It for the Wrong Years? QuestionSalam Sheikh, I tried my best to calculate everything and paid what I thought I owed for my missed zakat from 2015–2022. After I recalculated and realized the small amount I might have missed was actually from 2023, not those earlier years. When I … Read more
What Debts Can Be Deducted When Calculating Zakat? Are Credit Cards, Student Loans, and Monthly Payments Deductible? QuestionMy third question is about the deductions around Zakat calculations. I read one of your previous posts but just want to confirm. It is immediate debts that can be deducted from wealth when calculating zakat? I understand using … Read more
What Does It Mean to Hold Wealth for One Lunar Year Before Paying Zakat? QuestionMy second question is around what it means to posses wealth for a lunar new year. Per a google search Zakat al mal is 2.5% of wealth held for a lunar year. What does it mean to hold wealth for a … Read more
Who Is Required to Pay Zakat al Mal? Does Having Less Than the Nisab Mean Zakat Is Not Obligatory? QuestionMy first question is about who qualifies to pay zakat al mal. I am aware that there is the threshold of Nisab that correlates to the price of gold or silver. The current threshold equals around … Read more
How Is Zakat Calculated If You Have a Personal Loan Used for Business? QuestionWhat’s the ruling on your zakat if you have a loan on your name. example your friend lent you 20,000 dollars and your using it for your business, if my understanding is right your total zakat is only due on the amount … Read more
Is Zakat Obligatory If Someone Has Debt Such as Student Loans or a Mortgage? Question Salam! (Asking on behalf of my wife) she was discussing the zakat al Fitr with people & some people have different opinions. Some people are saying that you are not required to give charity on anything including the gold sitting … Read more
Can I Count Money I Owe My Friend Toward My Zakat? Question My friend paid $4,000 for something I wanted… when we came home I offered to pay him the money but he said it’s okay leave it for now and I’ll get the money from you later….I pay my zaakat during Ramadan so, do … Read more
Can Monthly Orphan Sponsorship Payments Be Counted Toward One’s Annual Zakat Obligation? QuestionIs it permissible to add up your monthly zakat payments toward orphan sponsorships and include this toward your total zakat obligation for the year? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. This question requires distinguishing between zakat as a … Read more
Is Zakat Obligatory on Gold Received for Personal Use (Wedding Jewelry)? QuestionI received 100 grams of gold from my in-laws’ house and my father’s house for my wedding, alhamdulillah. I received this gold for my own personal use. Is it obligatory to pay zakat on it, since the gold is not for storage or trade? … Read more
Is the Nisab for Zakah in Canada Based on Gold Only, and Why Is 21K Gold Used? QuestionSalam Imam, is the nisab for zakah based on gold and not silver today, since cash is no longer backed by silver? And is the correct gold standard 21K gold rather than 24K or 14K? How is this … Read more
Is Fidyah Calculated the Same as Zakat al Fitr if Zakat al Fitr Is 15 Dollars? QuestionAssalamu alaikum shikhna, if zakat al fitr is 15 dollars this Ramadan, can we measure the fidyah based on it as well? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. This issue must be answered with … Read more
Is Zakat Due on a Government Pension Fund That Cannot Be Accessed Until Retirement? QuestionAssalamu alaikum shaikh, I work for the government. A portion is deducted from my monthly salary and contributed to my pension fund, and my employer contributes an equal amount. The total is invested and grows over time. There are three components: … Read more
Is It Permissible to Change One’s Zakat Payment Date, and Is Early Payment Valid? QuestionSalaam alaikum warahmatuLlah wabarakaatu, I would like to know if it is permissible to change my zakat payment date. I am not sure exactly when my original zakat date was, and although I tried to keep the initial date, there is … Read more
How Should Zakat al Mal Be Calculated When Wealth Fluctuates and the Hawl Is Difficult to Track? QuestionAs-salamu alaykum Shaykh, I find it difficult to track which specific funds in my account have completed a full lunar year, since money comes in and out regularly. I have heard that some scholars recommend choosing a fixed … Read more
Does Donating to a Water Well Count Toward Zakat al Mal? QuestionI am donating to a water well. Does it count toward zakat al mal? AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain. The ruling depends on two matters: whether the project is genuinely directed to zakat eligible recipients, and whether zakat, … Read more
How Much Should Be Paid for Zakat al Fitr, and Is Giving Money the Sounder Opinion Today? QuestionSalam Imam, How much should I pay for zakat al fitr this Ramadan? Some masajid say 10 dollars, others say 15 dollars. Some also say you cannot give money and must buy rice or food and give it … Read more
What Is the Nisab and Ruling of Zakat on Wheat and Grains (Wasqs)? QuestionSalam Imam Mahmoud. I was asked about the zakat on wheat and grains. I overheard remarks about a minimum amount, nisab, and wasqs. Unfortunately I did not have an answer at the time. Could you clarify this concept? JazakAllahu khairan. AnswerAlhamdulillah, wassalatu … Read more
Is It Permissible to Keep, Use, or Donate Profits from a Shariah-Screened Investment ETF? QuestionSalaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakaatu. I invested some money into an investment that claims to be halal and that it “complies with Shariah law and excludes companies deriving more than 5% of their income from alcohol, tobacco, pork-related products, weapons, conventional banking … Read more
Do I Have to Pay Zakah on Money I Loaned to Others, and What If the Borrower Cannot Repay? QuestionDo I have to pay zakah on a loan that I have loaned to people? And what if they cannot pay it back and they are poor? Do I have to pay zakah on it? Can … Read more
QuestionWhat is the ruling on paying zakat on student loans? For example, let’s say I pay zakat every Ramadan. So in 2026, I would pay it in the last 10 days of Ramadan in March. In September of 2025 the government gives me $10,000. I use it to pay my tuition for the first semester, … Read more
Question: Do I have to pay zakat on my watch collection? Answer: It depends on your intention behind owning the watches. If you bought the watches as an investment, with the intention of selling them later to make a profit, then zakat is due on their current market value. In this case, they are considered … Read more
Zakat on Land Purchased for Investment or Personal Use: How Intent Affects Zakat Obligation Question Salaam alaikum warahmatuLlah wabarakaatu. I would like to know how to pay zakah in this case : he bought 2 units of land back home initially for investment but he hasn’t decided if he will build them as a family … Read more
ZAKAH ON PROPERTY AND RENTAL INCOME Q: Do I pay zakah on my house or personal car?A: No, if they are for personal use, no zakah is due. Q: What if I’m in real estate and buying/selling houses as business?A: Yes, zakah is due: Q: What about a rental property?A: You pay zakah only on … Read more
Can I pay zakah to my parents or children? Q: Can I pay zakah to my parents or children?A: No. It is not permissible to pay zakah to: These relationships involve financial responsibility, so zakah is not valid between them. Wallahu Alam
Q: If I lent money to a businessman and I’m confident he’ll repay me, do I owe zakah on it?A: Yes. Add the amount to your own wealth and pay zakah on the total. Example: If you lent $10,000 and have $90,000 in your own wealth, you pay zakah on $100,000. Q: What if the … Read more
ZAKAH ON THE WEALTH OF A PERSON WHO IS NOT OF SOUND MIND Q: What if someone is mentally incapacitated but owns wealth—does zakah apply?A: Yes, zakah still applies to his wealth. Wallahu Alam
ZAKAH ON BEHALF OF PARENTS Q: Can I pay zakah on behalf of my father if he refuses to do it himself?A: Only with your father’s permission. Zakah is an act of worship and requires intention. There is a scholarly consensus on this. Q: What if I know how much zakah my father owes and … Read more