What is the ruling on the zakah of a debt?

Question:
This person is asking about the zakah of a debt.

Answer:
He is asking about the zakah of a debt. A debt that you have with people is your property, and it is obligatory for you to pay its zakah just as you pay the zakah on the money you have with you, unless the debt is owed by someone who is unable to pay or by someone who is delaying payment, and you do not know whether you will recover it or not. In that case, zakah is not obligatory on it until you receive it. Once you receive it and a lunar year has passed since receiving it, you pay its zakah.
As long as you do not know whether it will come or not, because the debtor is unable to pay or is delaying payment, and you do not know whether you will recover the debt or not, zakah is not obligatory on it until you receive it.
As for a debt that you are confident you will recover, because it is owed by someone who is wealthy and willing to pay, zakah is obligatory on it every time a lunar year has passed, even if you have not received it, because you do not fear losing it.