Zakat on gold from current paper currency
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Fatwa number ( 14061 )
Q: Is it permissible to pay the zakat on gold from the current paper currency, which is now the people's currency, and does that suffice? Or is it obligatory to pay the zakat on gold from the gold itself, whether it is coins, ingots, or women's jewelry? Considering that paying in paper currency is beneficial for the poor and easier for the payer. I ask for your guidance, as I have a difficulty regarding this matter. May Allah preserve you and take care of you in this world and the Hereafter, and reward you with good for us and for the Muslims.
A: The principle in zakat is that it is paid from the zakatable wealth. Thus, the zakat on currency is paid from it, the zakat on livestock is paid from it, and the zakat on goods is paid from it. However, it is permissible to pay the zakat in cash if there is a benefit for the poor in doing so, such as paying the zakat on gold by its value equivalent to what it is worth at the completion of the lunar year; because this is more beneficial for the poor. A fatwa on this matter has previously been issued by the Council, the text of which is as follows: Decision number (98) dated 6/11/1402 AH. Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. After that: The Council of Senior Scholars, in its twentieth session, held in the city of al-Ta'if during the period between the 24th of 10/1402 AH and the
7th of 11/1402 AH, reviewed the letter of His Royal Highness, the Deputy Prime Minister, number (22848), dated 27/9/1402 AH, in which His Highness requested: an opinion on the permissibility of paying the zakat on grains and fruits in cash instead of paying it from the actual wealth or its kind. The Council also reviewed the letter of His Highness the Deputy Minister of Interior, number (42234), dated 22/9/1402 AH, regarding the fatwa issued by the honorable Judge of al-Ghat , concerning the permissibility of accepting cash for the zakat on grains and fruits. It also reviewed the letter of His Excellency the Minister of Justice, number (258/1/F), dated 26/6/1402 AH, concerning the case referred to His Excellency by the honorable Head of the Courts of Qassim regarding this matter. After the Council reviewed the aforementioned matters and some citations from the words of the scholars, and considering that zakat was legislated for many benefits, including: supporting the poor, meeting their needs, and purifying and increasing the righteousness of the rich, and after discussing the opinion and reflecting on the practice of this community in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and their followers, and the existence of cases where some of the value of zakat was taken when the obligatory item in zakat was absent, the Council of Senior Scholars decides unanimously: that the principle is to pay zakat from the actual wealth, as stated in the texts from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), detailing the zakatable wealth and specifying the amount obligatory therein, as far as possible.
It also decides by majority the permissibility of paying the value in zakat if it is difficult for the owner to pay it from the actual wealth and there is no harm to the poor in doing so, such as a person who is obligated to pay zakat on sheep but does not have sheep and it is difficult for him to seek them out. Likewise, if the interest of the poor requires paying the value, such as if it is difficult for them to receive it from the actual wealth because they are in a place where it is difficult for them to receive it there. And just as if a farmer sells all his fruit, it is permissible for him to give the zakat from the price. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Q: Is it permissible to pay the zakat on gold from the current paper currency, which is now the people's currency, and does that suffice? Or is it obligatory to pay the zakat on gold from the gold itself, whether it is coins, ingots, or women's jewelry? Considering that paying in paper currency is beneficial for the poor and easier for the payer. I ask for your guidance, as I have a difficulty regarding this matter. May Allah preserve you and take care of you in this world and the Hereafter, and reward you with good for us and for the Muslims.
A: The principle in zakat is that it is paid from the zakatable wealth. Thus, the zakat on currency is paid from it, the zakat on livestock is paid from it, and the zakat on goods is paid from it. However, it is permissible to pay the zakat in cash if there is a benefit for the poor in doing so, such as paying the zakat on gold by its value equivalent to what it is worth at the completion of the lunar year; because this is more beneficial for the poor. A fatwa on this matter has previously been issued by the Council, the text of which is as follows: Decision number (98) dated 6/11/1402 AH. Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. After that: The Council of Senior Scholars, in its twentieth session, held in the city of al-Ta'if during the period between the 24th of 10/1402 AH and the
7th of 11/1402 AH, reviewed the letter of His Royal Highness, the Deputy Prime Minister, number (22848), dated 27/9/1402 AH, in which His Highness requested: an opinion on the permissibility of paying the zakat on grains and fruits in cash instead of paying it from the actual wealth or its kind. The Council also reviewed the letter of His Highness the Deputy Minister of Interior, number (42234), dated 22/9/1402 AH, regarding the fatwa issued by the honorable Judge of al-Ghat , concerning the permissibility of accepting cash for the zakat on grains and fruits. It also reviewed the letter of His Excellency the Minister of Justice, number (258/1/F), dated 26/6/1402 AH, concerning the case referred to His Excellency by the honorable Head of the Courts of Qassim regarding this matter. After the Council reviewed the aforementioned matters and some citations from the words of the scholars, and considering that zakat was legislated for many benefits, including: supporting the poor, meeting their needs, and purifying and increasing the righteousness of the rich, and after discussing the opinion and reflecting on the practice of this community in the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and their followers, and the existence of cases where some of the value of zakat was taken when the obligatory item in zakat was absent, the Council of Senior Scholars decides unanimously: that the principle is to pay zakat from the actual wealth, as stated in the texts from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), detailing the zakatable wealth and specifying the amount obligatory therein, as far as possible.
It also decides by majority the permissibility of paying the value in zakat if it is difficult for the owner to pay it from the actual wealth and there is no harm to the poor in doing so, such as a person who is obligated to pay zakat on sheep but does not have sheep and it is difficult for him to seek them out. Likewise, if the interest of the poor requires paying the value, such as if it is difficult for them to receive it from the actual wealth because they are in a place where it is difficult for them to receive it there. And just as if a farmer sells all his fruit, it is permissible for him to give the zakat from the price. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.