How is the zakah calculated on a saved employee salary?

Question : He says: An employee’s monthly salary is five thousand. He spends two thousand of it and saves three thousand. Does he pay zakah on the entire salary, or only on the three thousand?

Answer : The zakah on salaries is actually a point of difficulty for many people, because salaries, as we know, come month after month. So, is the relevant lunar year (hawl) based on the first month or the last month? The relevant hawl is based on the first month. So, if this man was employed in Muharram and received his salary at the end of his first Muharram, the hawl begins from the time he received it. The hawl begins. Now, when is the zakah taken? At the end of Muharram in the second year. But in Dhul Hijjah, the hawl has not yet completed. In the month of Dhul Qa'dah, the hawl has not completed, and before that, up to Safar, the hawl has not completed.
We say that in this case, the zakah is paid in advance. Paying zakah in advance is permissible, and by this method, a person finds it easier. Otherwise, it is difficult, because if he tracks the salaries, it is hard for him to estimate that this month entered such a state and this month exited such a state. So, to make it easy for you, consider the hawl as one hawl for everyone, even for those whose hawl has not yet completed, and pay the zakah whenever this time comes. Now, if he says, “I prefer to pay the zakah in Ramadan,” is it permissible for him to delay it from the end of Muharram to Ramadan? We say no. But if you wish, you may pay the zakah in advance in Ramadan before Muharram arrives, and continue doing so, so that it is always paid in advance, and this is permissible. Yes.