Delaying the Payment of Zakat on Gold
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Fatwa No. ( 13815 )
Q: I proposed to a girl, and, praise be to Allah, the marriage contract was concluded with her, with the agreement that the marriage would be completed in less than a year. I purchased the required gold, which amounted to approximately (42,000) (forty-two thousand riyals), before the completion of
the marriage. I applied to one of the military colleges and was accepted, praise be to Allah, for a period of three years. Her father refused to allow the marriage to take place until after graduation, that is, after three years. I had already purchased the required gold, so I placed it with the shop owner, i.e., the gold shop, for safekeeping and not for trade. After a full year had passed for the gold, I intended to pay its zakat, but the shop owner said: there is no zakat on it, and you should ask [the scholars]. However, we did not ask, and it remained with him for three years without us paying its zakat. After that, the marriage took place, and the gold became with my wife, and it has now been two years. I note that in the last year, before we completed it, I sold some of it and exchanged it. As for now, at the present time, the gold has been completely stolen, and only what is worn remains. What must I do? Five years have passed without its zakat being paid, and the gold is now not present; only what is worn remains, which is very little. The weights of all the gold are not known, but its total price is known (42,000). How do I pay its zakat? I am extremely anxious and uneasy, and I constantly think about its zakat. Do I pay its zakat for the past years by estimation? If it is due, do I pay it all at once, or in monthly installments with the monthly salary? Is there a sin on me for not paying it for the past years? Is
there an expiation? I ask for an answer to all these inquiries. May Allah reward you with good.
A: Zakat is obligatory on the gold mentioned for the five years mentioned, even if it is not present at the present time. You must repent and seek forgiveness for delaying the payment of the obligatory zakat. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I proposed to a girl, and, praise be to Allah, the marriage contract was concluded with her, with the agreement that the marriage would be completed in less than a year. I purchased the required gold, which amounted to approximately (42,000) (forty-two thousand riyals), before the completion of
the marriage. I applied to one of the military colleges and was accepted, praise be to Allah, for a period of three years. Her father refused to allow the marriage to take place until after graduation, that is, after three years. I had already purchased the required gold, so I placed it with the shop owner, i.e., the gold shop, for safekeeping and not for trade. After a full year had passed for the gold, I intended to pay its zakat, but the shop owner said: there is no zakat on it, and you should ask [the scholars]. However, we did not ask, and it remained with him for three years without us paying its zakat. After that, the marriage took place, and the gold became with my wife, and it has now been two years. I note that in the last year, before we completed it, I sold some of it and exchanged it. As for now, at the present time, the gold has been completely stolen, and only what is worn remains. What must I do? Five years have passed without its zakat being paid, and the gold is now not present; only what is worn remains, which is very little. The weights of all the gold are not known, but its total price is known (42,000). How do I pay its zakat? I am extremely anxious and uneasy, and I constantly think about its zakat. Do I pay its zakat for the past years by estimation? If it is due, do I pay it all at once, or in monthly installments with the monthly salary? Is there a sin on me for not paying it for the past years? Is
there an expiation? I ask for an answer to all these inquiries. May Allah reward you with good.
A: Zakat is obligatory on the gold mentioned for the five years mentioned, even if it is not present at the present time. You must repent and seek forgiveness for delaying the payment of the obligatory zakat. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.