The Ruling on the Zakah of Real Estate Offered for Sale for Years

Question:
The questioner says: A piece of real estate was offered for sale fifteen years ago, but it was not sold until this year. So, is zakah due for all those years, or only on the sale price this year? We know that if we pay zakah for all the years, only a small amount of the price would remain, or perhaps the entire amount would be zakah?

Answer:
This is negligence and carelessness. It is obligatory for one who intends to sell a property, house, or land to appraise it at the beginning of each year and to pay zakah on its value, whether small or large, because it is offered for sale, just like goods in a location, a shop, or a marketplace prepared for sale.
So, if a year passes over it or its value, he appraises it at the end of the year and pays zakah. This person, who has let many years pass while offering this land or this property for sale without selling it, must pay zakah for every year, for every year, by appraising it each year, because prices rise and fall over the years. So, in each year, he estimates its value, totals the amounts, and pays the zakah. There is blessing in the zakah and good in it; even if it decreases the wealth in terms of quantity, it increases it in terms of meaning, blessing, growth, and purity. So, it is better for him. Yes.