What Is the Nisab and Ruling of Zakat on Wheat and Grains (Wasqs)?
Question
Salam 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.
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
Zakat on agricultural produce is one of the clearly established obligations in Islam. The concepts of nisab and wasq are foundational to understanding when zakat becomes due and how it is calculated.
1. The Shar‘i Context
Allah obligated zakat on crops and produce when they reach harvest.
Allah says:
“And give its due on the day of its harvest.”
Surat al An‘am 6:141
The Sunnah explains what types of crops are zakatable, the minimum threshold, and the rate.
2. What Types of Crops Are Subject to Zakat
Zakat is due on staple crops that are:
- Measured by volume or weight
- Storable
- Edible and cultivated
This includes wheat, barley, rice, corn, dates, and similar grains and staples. There is scholarly agreement that wheat and grains fall clearly under zakatable produce.
3. The Nisab of Crops
The Prophet specified a minimum amount below which zakat is not due.
He said:
“There is no zakat on crops or fruits until they reach five wasqs.”
Sahih al Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
This establishes the nisab for agricultural produce.
4. What Is a Wasq
A wasq is a classical unit of measurement used at the time of the Prophet.
- One wasq equals 60 sa‘
- Five wasqs equal 300 sa‘
In modern weight terms, this is approximately:
- Around 600 to 650 kilograms of wheat or similar grains
(The exact weight varies slightly based on grain type and density.)
If the harvested produce reaches this amount or more, zakat becomes obligatory.
5. The Rate of Zakat on Crops
The rate of zakat depends on how the crops are irrigated.
The Prophet said:
“On what is watered by rain or natural springs, one tenth is due, and on what is irrigated by labor, one twentieth.”
Sahih al Bukhari
Therefore:
- 10 percent if irrigated naturally (rain, floods, springs)
- 5 percent if irrigated artificially (wells, pumps, irrigation systems)
This zakat is paid at harvest time, not after one lunar year, and expenses of irrigation are considered through the reduced rate.
Final Ruling
Zakat is obligatory on wheat and grains when the harvested amount reaches five wasqs, which equals 300 sa‘, approximately 600 to 650 kilograms depending on the crop.
The zakat is paid at harvest time at a rate of 10 percent if the crop was naturally irrigated, or 5 percent if it was artificially irrigated.
If the produce does not reach this nisab, no zakat is due.
And Allah knows best.