The Ruling on the Zakah of Adornments
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Q39: The questioner asks: How does a woman assess her jewelry for which she wants to pay zakah, by its value or by its weight? And does she pay the zakah in gold of the same type, or does she pay it in cash on its behalf? And what is the amount of the nisab and its zakah?
A39: If the jewelry is prepared for trade, or if it is prepared for other than use, such as keeping it for example without using it, then zakah is obligatory in it unanimously, without disagreement among the scholars, and its zakah is by its value. If it is prepared for trade and displayed for sale, it is appraised and a quarter of a tenth of its value is paid from it. As for if it is prepared and set aside for other than wearing and other than trade, such as keeping it, then zakah is paid from it; the zakah is considered by its weight. If its weight reaches the nisab of zakah: twenty mithqals, which is approximately eleven and a half pounds, then zakah is obligatory in it according to its weight: a quarter of a tenth. He may pay it from it, and he may pay it in cash from other paper currency or from silver. As for jewelry prepared for use, there is disagreement among the scholars: whether zakah is obligatory in it or not. The correct opinion that appears to me is that
zakah is not obligatory in it; because jewelry is like clothing, and like livestock and cattle that are taken for work or to rent them out or the like, and also those taken for riding. There is no zakah in these, even though they are from the wealth subject to zakah if they are for other than use, and if they are for increase and growth they are subject to zakah. But if they are for other than increase, and are only for use, then there is no zakah in them, like cattle, clothing, and other matters that are not taken for increase and growth, but are only taken for use, and among them is jewelry. This is the aspect of this opinion. Some of the scholars held that zakah is obligatory in it, even if it is prepared for use or lending, taking the general texts that obligate zakah in gold and silver, but this is, in my view, a weak opinion.
A39: If the jewelry is prepared for trade, or if it is prepared for other than use, such as keeping it for example without using it, then zakah is obligatory in it unanimously, without disagreement among the scholars, and its zakah is by its value. If it is prepared for trade and displayed for sale, it is appraised and a quarter of a tenth of its value is paid from it. As for if it is prepared and set aside for other than wearing and other than trade, such as keeping it, then zakah is paid from it; the zakah is considered by its weight. If its weight reaches the nisab of zakah: twenty mithqals, which is approximately eleven and a half pounds, then zakah is obligatory in it according to its weight: a quarter of a tenth. He may pay it from it, and he may pay it in cash from other paper currency or from silver. As for jewelry prepared for use, there is disagreement among the scholars: whether zakah is obligatory in it or not. The correct opinion that appears to me is that
zakah is not obligatory in it; because jewelry is like clothing, and like livestock and cattle that are taken for work or to rent them out or the like, and also those taken for riding. There is no zakah in these, even though they are from the wealth subject to zakah if they are for other than use, and if they are for increase and growth they are subject to zakah. But if they are for other than increase, and are only for use, then there is no zakah in them, like cattle, clothing, and other matters that are not taken for increase and growth, but are only taken for use, and among them is jewelry. This is the aspect of this opinion. Some of the scholars held that zakah is obligatory in it, even if it is prepared for use or lending, taking the general texts that obligate zakah in gold and silver, but this is, in my view, a weak opinion.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.