Zakah

As-Salamu `Alaykum. How can we check that our Zakah money reaches the concerned persons, if we gave it to relief organizations?

Sometimes Islamic institutions—such as centers, mosques, or charities—ask Muslims to donate for a certain project, and then some of the fund remains after executing the project, or the project is cancelled. What is the ruling regarding the unused funds? Are those in charge of the institution entitled to dispose of it for the good of other public projects without notifying the donors? If they should notify the donors but they cannot do so, what are they to do?

As-salamu `alaykum. What is the ruling on donating for the Palestinian people in Gaza in these days? Is it a duty? And are they more entitled than others to zakah?

Assalam u Alaikum!!Presently I am living in my father’s house, as we are a joint family. I am planning to buy a home to live separate.For this purpose I have bought some property (land) for commercial purpose. My intention is sale this land with a good profit & with that money buy a home Insha Allah.For buying this land I used my savings, sold some gold of my wife and took some loan too from friends. Which I am repaying on a monthly basis, it’s a interest free loan, just like you borrow money from your relatives & friends.I am always paying Zakat for the total value of the gold no matter when I purchased it.This land I purchased in month of March 2005 and Final payment was made in month of August 2005.The percentage of investment is like this 40% from my saving 34% from borrowed money & 26% from selling of gold.My question is how much zakat do I have to pay for this land. On total value of the land, OR deducting borrowed money from actual value (means My investment + money from gold which I sold) OR only on my savings, which I used for buying this land.After selling this land with profit Insha Allah, I will buy a home, do I have to pay Zakat then? Or do I have to pay Zakat now or its waived in this case.In any case I will pay zakat for the remaining Gold, which is still with my wife.My second question is when we buy gold from market it is higher than what we get by selling the same gold (when selling we get less than market price). So which value we should consider for calculating Zakat, the buying or the selling one.

I have two questions. First I want to know wether investment in company"s shares attracts annual Zakkat. Two we are compel by law in Nigeria that every worker has to contribute to his retirement benifit on monthly basis and this amount is invested in the Banks on interest.Before we retire it will takes us almost 20years to come. How can we purified this money after retirement?

As-salaam-u-Alikum, If gold is mixed and also contains impurities (artificial pearls etc.), then shuld Zakah be paid on the amount that accounts for gold or zakat will be paid on gold as well as impurities? When we go to a gold-maker, he also demands money for the artificial pearls but when we sell it he does not count pearl and give us the value of gold and mixed impurities dissolved in gold? Is it HARAM? Jazakallaah.

Dear Sir, I owe a sum of money and I make monthly payment on it. there is no interst on that money I owe. Now I got some money form someone and I wish not to pay off all the money I owe and ( countinue ) to make the monthly payment.The question is after one year to make Zakah can I subtract the I money I still woe form the total money I had for one year.Thank you very much for your time.

Since we are administering zakah donations from donors to recipients, how much can we keep for our expenses? Can we keep a fixed amount (like 5% or 10 %) or does it have to be determined each time based on total expenses?

My question is on the applicability of zakat when one has a loan. I have assets in the form of residential plots (land), some cash, stocks and my wife's jewellry. In addition I have a house in which I live and have taken a loan to pay for the house.the value of the loan far exceeds by the value of all my assets other than my residential property. Should I be paying zakat and on which assets? I have gotten my conflicting views and am confused.

As-salamu `alaykum. Am I permitted to give my zakah to a poor student who is unable to pay his college fees or other expenses related to his study? Jazakum Allahu Khayran.

As-salamu `alaykum. Please tell me if I can spend zakah money on da`wah activities here in the US. Thank you in advance.

Is it compulsory for me to pay zakat though i am not working (housewife only). Once in a while i do deposit some cash in charity boxes in malls and other places. Also please tell me if we can give money to beggars on streets whether 'muslim' or 'non-muslim'. And should Zakat be given only to muslims? And if we help family members financially can in huge amount can we consider that as Zakat?

I am a university student, and I would like to know whether or not I am obliged to pay Zakah. I am a student and I am not working. However, I have a scholarship from the Japanese government. Is it necessary to pay Zakah or not?

As-salamu `alaykum! I have been blessed with a beautiful baby, al-hamdulillah. I received a lot of presents from relatives and friends when celebrating this happy occasion. Some of these presents were gold pounds. I just kept these pounds without exchanging them for paper money or turning them into jewelry. Is there any Zakah to be paid on these gold pounds? If so, how is it to be paid, how much and when? Jazakum Allah khayran.

As-salamu `alykum, as you know my country, Malaysia, is a Muslim country and the government imposes income tax like any other country. Annually, I pay about 28% to IRD. I also pay 2.5% of my income to Islamic authority that collects zakah. My question is: since the 28% income tax already contributes to the revenue of a Muslim government who uses part of the money for good deeds like building mosques and helping the poor, do I still need to pay the 2.5% zakah? Can I consider part of my 28% income tax contribution as zakah? I appreciate your help. Thanks.

Asalamu alaikum.  I would like to know if it is permissible to pay money with the intention of "sadaqa" at places that collect zakah money.  Jazakum Allah khayran.

if one has given some money as sadaqa, can the intention be changed to zakat at a later date.

AlSalaam Alikum Scholars My wife was Christian, now AlhamduLilah is Muslim.  Her family is still Christian living overseas but relatively poor.  Now they're children going to college and my wife sends them good financial help for college.  Does that count as Zakat for my Muslim wife to send needed money to her Christian family? JAK

Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. I have a piece of land in Baghdad that was taken by force by the Americans, so should I pay Zakah on it? Jazakum Allah khayran.

salam alaykumi have recently converted to islam and would like to know about zakat - when to give it, how much to give and any conditions of the charity given?thank you

Assalam. I have a question. I run a business and we calculate the zakath money yearly.can i give or spend the zakath money on my brother who s not employed and his health s also not gud. kindly replyallah hafiz

As-Salamu `alaykum! Is Zakah imposed on warehouses and showrooms used to develop the business in storing and presenting merchandise? If there is Zakah, then what is the rate?

Is it lawful for the bodies responsible for collecting zakah to invest the money collected in favor of the due recipients of zakah?

1. If I have stocks and I have to pay Zakah on them, and I do not have cash available, what should I do? Should I sell some of my stocks at a loss, if the market is down, or wait until the market recovers? Or should I wait until I get the dividend from my stocks and pay the Zakah? Or what should be the procedure?2. If I have a land, should I pay Zakah or must the land have a building on it in order for me to have to pay Zakah on it? And if I do not have the cash for that, what do I have to do?

Is it allowed to give zakah money to a Muslim who is very poor but not very religious? He does not offer his prayers regularly, nor does he observe fasting in Ramadan.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. We are now married for seven years. Soon after our marriage we had a storm of financial crises. For the last four years we were in the United States. We have filed for bankruptcy and still owe a lot of people their money ($13,000).We were told by my father-in-law that we are not required to pay zakah. However, I have some jewelry in my possession in my safety box which is worth $5,000. We have thought many times of selling it but were stopped by my relatives. I don’t use it or wear it. It is simply lying idle. It was given to me by my in-laws and parents. I have no intention to keep it as saving; it is kept solely for my children. I have this fear of Allah in my mind that we are doing wrong because now my husband makes a moderate amount of money for our survival. However, if I am able to save some money I try my best to spend it in charity. Please guide me. Jazakum Allah khayran.

As-Salamu `alykum. We would like to know the legal ruling as regards something very important to all Muslims, most especially Muslims living in America and Europe. It concerns the building of Mosques and Islamic centers there, as they play a great role in the progress of our Islamic activities. It should be noted that Muslim communities in European countries and also students with temporary residence permits are in dire need of Islamic centers to carry out their various religious activities.However, a question usually arises as regards obligatory charity or Zakah, whi ch constitutes the main source of income to the Islamic societies: Can money collected as Zakah be used to build Islamic centers in the West?

As-Salamu `alaykum! Is it necessary to pay Zakah immediately after one year of having a certain amount of money?

Please tell me if I can pay Zakah on a monthly basis instead of paying once a year in Ramadan. I will divide the total amount into 12 monthly payments. Is that right?

Respected scholars of Islam, as-Salamu `alaykum! I have more than one piece of property that I had purchased some time ago. I would like to know the ruling of Zakah on them. If there is Zakah due on them, then should I give it based on the purchase price or should it be appraised annually, knowing that there is a difficulty in having an annual appraisal?

As-Salamu `alaykum! I have saved a sum of money to buy a house in USA. I am in the process to buy a house (within 2 months). Do I have to pay Zakah on this money?

Dear scholars, as-Salamu `alaykum. Some people, such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, and other professionals, gain a lot of money from the fields they work in. Are they required to pay zakah on what they earn? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Is it lawful to pay zakah to help a sterile woman have an in vitro fertilization procedure, especially if she cannot at all afford the cost of the medical treatment required?

Dear scholars, my question is about Zakah. A man and his wife have the same bank account, and their money reaches the nisab (the minimum sum that is liable to Zakah). For example, in Morocco the sum on which Zakah is due is DH 8,000 for each man or woman. But in this case the man and his wife jointly have only this sum of DH 8,000. They ask you, dear scholar, if they must pay Zakah. Greetings to you. May Allah bless you.

As-Salamu `alaykum. I want to ask about Zakah on the fixed income. Should I pay Zakah on my monthly salary?

Dear scholars, As-salamu `alaykum. I have read many fatwas regarding zakah on women's jewelry. However, I am confused because some prominent scholars say that a woman should give zakah on her jewelry as long as it reaches the nisab, because the proofs to support the contrary opinion are weak. What do you say regarding this? Jazakum Allah khayran.

In the name of Allah. May Allah reward you for your outstanding efforts and make them beneficial enough to please Him. I have a question concerning zakah, specifically about the Qur’anic verse pointing out the recipients of zakah. I noticed that the amount of prescribed zakah is not specified in the Qur’an whereas its recipients are clarified in detail. What is the wisdom behind that? May Allah reward you.

As-Salamu `alaykum. I would like to know whether or not unlawful money is subject to Zakah. Jazakum Allah khyran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. I'd like to ask you a question about zakah. If a Muslim does not work or do trade, under what conditions must he or she pay zakah? And is it enough if one's parents pay the annual zakah on one's behalf or must the zakah be paid by the individual? Also, I own some collector's coins and notes, some of which still have legal value and can be used as regular cash. Will I have to add these to the amount on which I pay zakah? Jazakum Allah khayran.

My father is in debts. I am working and I have a family to look after. Since I don’t have enough money to pay off his debts, am I allowed to settle the debts from my Zakah funds?

Do we have to pay Zakah on stocks and mutual funds that we keep as savings?

As-Salamu `alaykum! I have a question about Zakah on retirement-saving accounts such as 401K or IRA accounts. As you know these are retirement plans that many companies offer to their employees. Sometimes, the employee has to contribute to it to be eligible for any withdrawals or sometimes companies deposit money for their employees. Either case employees are not supposed to take money out of these accounts until he/she retires. My question is: Should I pay Zakah on that money, or it is better to wait until I retire, and get access to it? Jazakum Allah Khayran.

As-Salamu `alaykum! I live in a house, and get rental income from the basement. I recently bought a condominium, and rented it out too. Do I have to pay Zakah on the actual value of the condo as well as both rental incomes, or only on the incomes? Will it be 2.5% of the total rental incomes, or 2.5% of the savings after one year?

As-Salamu `alaykum! I know that I am obliged to give 10% for honey as Zakah. Is it the same for other bee products: pollen, swarms, queens, venom, etc.?

As-Salamu `Alaykum! We have property that is for rent in addition to the house we live in. How do we calculate Zakah on this property? Is it based on the market value of the property or on rental income, or both? We have had very opposing information. Please clarify this matter for us.

Concerning Zakat Al-Fitr, if one was to fast one-third of Ramadan in a certain country and intended to fast the rest of the month and celebrate `Eid in another country, then in which of the two countries is he to pay the Zakah?

As-Salamu `alaykum! I live in UK. Is it permissible to give Zakah to charitable organizations?

Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. If a Muslim man is married to a Christian woman and they have children, should he pay Zakat Al-Fitr for her? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Scholars of Islam, As-Salamu `alaykum. Can we give zakah to establish educational institutions in North America, when we do know that the primary objective of zakah is to help the poor and needy?

As-Salaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullah. I am a student but I have a part-time job. Is it Fard (obligatory) upon me to pay Zakah? I was told that it is not Fard upon women because while they are unmarried, the head of the family (i.e. the father) pays Zakah on behalf of everyone in the family, and when they are married their husbands pay on their behalf. I was also told that if a woman’s father does not pay any Zakah at all, then she still will not be accountable for it. Is this true? Also is everyone liable to pay Zakat-ul Fitr? If so, how much do we give and in what form (money or food)? Jazakum Allahu Khairan.

As-Salamu `alaykum. Dear scholars, please let me know whether one who owns houses and cars should pay zakah on them or not.

Scholars of Islam, as-salamu `alaykum. What do you say about giving Zakah to the Prophet's descendants?

Scholars of Islam, As-Salamu `alaykum. My brother used to work in the Middle East. He was very well-off then. When he came back to Pakistan, he invested the money he saved over there, but unfortunately that was all lost because of business failure. He is now working somewhere but has a very low income to support his family. Some people say that he is not eligible to receive Zakah, due to the fact that he has his own house and all the necessities of life, like a TV, refrigerator, telephone, et cetera, in his home. Keep in mind that all this was bought when he was working in the Middle East. Is he eligible for the Zakah? Should he sell his household things to support his family? Please advise.

As-salamu `alaykum. We are Muslim students living in a small dorm in America, and there is a hired mosque inside it. Is it permissible to give the money of zakah to pay the rent for that mosque, especially because the donations collected from the Muslim students there are not enough? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, as-Salamu `alaykum. I’d like to ask: can I give my Zakah to my husband? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, as-Salamu `alaykum. I have an urgent question. What characterizes the poor person who is entitled to receive zakah. Jazakum Allah kairan for your cooperation.

As-Salamu `alaykum! Is Zakah applicable for a person who has some liabilities, as he has to pay money to somebody from whom he has taken a loan?

 Assalamu alaikum.i have some questions about zakat on wealth (not zakat alfitr): basically every year on the last day of ramadan, i calculate all the wealth i have (in cash, stocks, and wife's gold holding) and apply the 2.5% to calculate the zakat.however as i live in belgium, i usually send the money to my dad in lebanon and he distributes to needy relatives (not direct parents or descendents of mine). that means the money is actually payed later than the last day of ramadan when i calculate my zakat. recently i found some articles that say zakat shouldn't be delayed and should be payed on the day it reaches the hawl (1 year).so the questions are: 1- can the day zakat is calculated on be different than the day it's paid?. i remember i read somewhere that i have upto 1 year (before next zakat calculation) to pay it. is this correct?2- if this isn't correct, it's very hard for me to do the calculations all in one day and pay the zakat. reason is that i have to wait until stock market closes to get the exact value of my stocks, also i have to find out the value of gold on that day, and then i have to ask my dad to pay the money from his bank account while i transfer this to him.3-if the value of my stocks went below the nisab during the current year, do i still have to pay zakat on it?4- some of my individual stocks were below the nisab this year, do i calculate the zakat on each individual stock which was above the nisab? or this is not allowed and i should calculate the total worth of the stocks and pay zakat on that?Jazakum Allah khayran. Fadi.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. If one is helping a needy relative with Zakah money, is it important to inform them that it is Zakah, as some relatives may not accept it out of self respect or pride? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. This is my first year paying zakah and I want to do it right. I recently got married and according to tradition got lots of jewelry. I think I have more gold in the bank than money. How does it work? Also, I want to know if zakah is applicable to stones like diamonds. And can zakah be paid spread all through the year instead of paying as a lump sum? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Can organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and CAIR-Canada receive zakah and sadaqah funds? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. My question is concerned with gold that was bought for children under 18 years of age and not paying Zakah.If money or anything of value is given to children under the age of eighteen, is it permissible for parents to use or sell such items? Jazakum Allah khayran.

As-Salamu `Alaykum. Am I allowed to pay next year's Zakah in advance, meaning with this year's Zakah? Can Zakah be given in installments throughout the year, and what happens if the person dies before paying all the installments?

Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. What is the judgment pertaining to the salaries of professional athletes, which may reach tens of millions of dollars annually? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Is it permissible to buy sewing machines, computer, and books, etc. with zakah money to give them to schools for training the students? If we do that, will the obligation of zakah be discharged?Normally, we are supposed to make the person to whom zakah is given the owner of the zakah fund or material. But if it is given to a school, the school becomes the owner, though it is used by the students. Please clarify to us the correct way of doing this, as we want to help the schools in our part of the country. With best regards.

Dear Sheikh, thank you very much for your interesting site. Could you please tell me about the significance of Zakah and charity (sadaqah) in Islam. How do these two things represent a form of showing gratitude to Allah?

What is the ruling on taking the zakah incumbent on the property of the Muslims residing in Western countries and sending it abroad, in view of the need of the Muslims and their institutions in the Western countries, and the lack of sufficiency in developing countries?

Dear Imam, I have a question on Zakah. Can I pay my Zakah via an Internet web site?

As-Salamu `alaykum. Are we allowed to help our relatives with the Zakah money? Do we have to inform them if we help them with the Zakah? Some relatives feel embarrassed to receive Zakah charity and we also feel shy to tell them that we are helping them with Zakah.

Is zakat al-fitr obligatory on fasting persons only? If not, is it also obligatory on those who do not fast in Ramadan, whether they have excuses for this or not?

Dear scholar, As-salamu `alaykum. I know that zakah on money is based on the lunar year. However, can I calculate my zakah according to another calendar? For example, can I pay my zakah on the first of January each year?

Scholars of Islam, As-Salamu `alaykum. What should happen if Zakah is lost before being distributed? Should the owner pay it again?

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Are oil and other minerals found in Muslim countries considered treasures on which Zakah must be paid? If the answer is 'Yes', how can this be done? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Why should a Muslim pay zakah when he already pays taxes? Modern systems of taxation do meet many of the objectives imbedded in zakah itself, such as serving the public good and providing social security systems and services to the poor. Given that many western democracies distribute a portion of tax money to religious organizations (including Muslim ones), what is the supplemental role of zakah in a state with an established taxation system?

Dear scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. How does Islam view privatization? Jazakum Allah khayran.

Last Ramadan I paid zakat al-fitr on the first day of Ramadan, but a friend of mine told me that this is not lawful in Islam and that I have to pay it again. May you give me the viewpoint of Islam in this regard?

Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. We are building a clinic to serve primarily the rural poor inBangladesh. We will take funds from privileged people to help maintain the clinic, medication costs, nurses and doctors' salaries, etc. We will not refuse care to privileged persons as their money will be used to allow us to provide free healthcare to the poor. Can we use zakah money to build the clinic? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Can Zakat Al-Fitr be paid for other than the poor and the needy?another question is: Do you consider the low-income families in North America as compatible to the definition of faqir and miskin in Islamic Shari`ah? I mean, if a family can live, eat, and drink but with very limited resources, will it be eligible for Zakah? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Why do Muslims calculate and pay their zakah in Ramadan? Is this necessary during Ramadan or can zakah be paid any month in the year? Jazakum Allahu khayran.

AlSalaam Alikum When I married my wife she was Christian, now she does not believe in it and has spoken the shahadah in front of me but did not do ghusl and two rakats, she doesn't know how to pray.She has family back home in Lebanon who are Christian.  She sends them money they need very much every year.Because of her shahadah and she does believe in Islam now, can that money she sends her family be considered ZAKAT for her? JAZAKUM ALLAH KHAIRAN

As-Salamu `alaykum! Is it permissible to transfer Zakah outside the country where I reside?