The zakah on inherited wealth that remained with the brother for years

Question:
The questioner says: My brother gave me a sum of money and said, “This is what remains for you from the sale of my father’s property (may Allah have mercy on him).” This amount stayed with him for about twenty years, and he did not pay its zakah, nor did he inform me of it during that entire period. I have received it about five years ago. I ask how this money should be zakahted?

Answer:
If you were unable to take your share of the inheritance, or if you did not know about it until after a period of time, you only pay zakah on it when you receive it. You pay zakah from the time of your receipt. As for what came before that, you owe no zakah because you were unable to access it or did not know about it. So you owe no zakah on the past; you only pay zakah on it in the future. However, if you knew about this inheritance but were negligent in claiming it—even if you had asked for it and he was willing to give it to you, but you were lax with him—then you must pay zakah on it for the entire past period, because you are the one who was negligent and careless. Yes.