Zakah determination.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
Assalamwalaikum
wa rahmathullahi wa barakatahu,
I
would like to know in details about ZAKAT. As My wife got some
savings from her salary can she give zakat on the saved amount of money?
It wil be good if you give me the all applicable
categories
of ZAKAT?
Jazakallahkhair.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Zakah determination
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
If the total net worth of any believer (man, woman, or
child) is more than the prescribed ‘nisaab’ of 7.5 ‘tolas’ of gold (app. 85
grams or app. Value US$2,100.00), then the person is liable to pay the obligatory
annual ‘zakah’ of 2.5% on their excess wealth which has been in their
possession for a full calendar year.
If the total net worth of any believer is less than the
prescribed ‘nisaab’, he/she is not liable to pay any ‘zakah’ until their net
worth exceeds the prescribed ‘nisaab’.
For the purpose of determining ‘zakah’, the ‘Net Excess
Assets’ would be the current market value of all of one’s assets (properties,
investments, jewelry, cash, etc.) except:
- the
value of the house/s one owns and actually lives in
- the
value of the car/vehicle one uses on a regular basis
- the
value of the furniture and fixtures one uses on a regular basis.
Your
Question: …As My wife got some savings from her salary can she give
zakat on the saved amount of money?
If the total value of the net excess assets of your wife
is above the prescribed ‘nisaab’, then indeed she would be liable to pay
‘zakah’ on her cash savings, her jewelry, her properties, etc. (ie. her net
excess assets) annually at the rate of 2.50% of the market value of her assets.
If the value of the total assets of your wife are below
the prescribed ‘nisaab’, she is not liable to pay any ‘zakah’.
Your
Question: ….It wil be good if you give me the all applicable categories of
ZAKAT?
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah
Taubah verse 60:
60 Alms are for the poor, and the needy, and those employed to
administer the (funds), for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled
(to the Truth), for those in bondage and in debt, in the Cause of Allah, and
for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah and Allah is full of Knowledge
and Wisdom.
Allah Subhanah has prescribed that ‘zakah’ should be paid
to any of the above eight listed categories:
- To
the poor
- To
the needy
- To
those who are employed to administer the zakah funds
- To
those whose hearts have recently been reconciled to the Truth of Islam
(new-muslims)
- For
those in bondage
- For
those in debt
- In
the Cause of Allah
- To
the way-farer or traveler
Allah Subhanah has Commanded and Guided the believers that
‘Zakah’ must be distributed to any of the above eight categories only; for all
other categories, one may help them through voluntary and supererogatory
charity or ‘sadaqah’ but not through ‘Zakah’ funds.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
Wister