Is it permissible to delay the payment of zakah for the purpose of taking an inventory?

Question : The questioner says: Honorable Shaykh, does giving zakah immediately mean that if my hawl (lunar year of possession) falls in Ramadan, and the goods and the crowd of people increase in Ramadan, I would like to delay it to the month of Shawwal so that I can devote myself to taking the inventory? Is there anything wrong with that?

Answer : There is no blame on a person if he delays the zakah for a month, a month and a half, or something similar, for the sake of taking the inventory of the zakah and organizing it. This delay is for the benefit of the zakah and for the benefit of the recipients of zakah as well, so that nothing is missed. This is a delay that is permissible and does no harm.