The Details of Zakah on Debts
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If a person asks for a sum of money as a loan, does he have to pay zakah on it, O Shaykh?
This debt, whether it is a loan, the price of a sale, rent for a house, or something else, if it is owed by a solvent person, its zakah becomes obligatory every year. You may pay its zakah along with your other wealth if you wish, or you may set aside the zakah and then pay it when you receive the debt, covering the time that has passed. However, if it is owed by an insolvent person who cannot pay, or by a wrongdoer from whom you cannot recover your right, there is no zakah on it. But when you receive it, even if it is after ten years, you pay zakah for one year, the year of receipt. This is the stronger opinion, the middle ground between two opinions: one opinion says there is no zakah if it is owed by an insolvent person, so you do not pay zakah on it until you receive it and a year has passed.The second opinion: The other opinion says there is zakah on it even if it is owed by an insolvent person.The correct view: As we mentioned to you in this detail: if it is owed by a solvent person from whom you can recover it, you must pay its zakah every year. If it is owed by an insolvent person or someone you cannot demand payment from, there is no zakah on it, but when you receive it, you pay zakah for one year for the time that has passed.
This debt, whether it is a loan, the price of a sale, rent for a house, or something else, if it is owed by a solvent person, its zakah becomes obligatory every year. You may pay its zakah along with your other wealth if you wish, or you may set aside the zakah and then pay it when you receive the debt, covering the time that has passed. However, if it is owed by an insolvent person who cannot pay, or by a wrongdoer from whom you cannot recover your right, there is no zakah on it. But when you receive it, even if it is after ten years, you pay zakah for one year, the year of receipt. This is the stronger opinion, the middle ground between two opinions: one opinion says there is no zakah if it is owed by an insolvent person, so you do not pay zakah on it until you receive it and a year has passed.The second opinion: The other opinion says there is zakah on it even if it is owed by an insolvent person.The correct view: As we mentioned to you in this detail: if it is owed by a solvent person from whom you can recover it, you must pay its zakah every year. If it is owed by an insolvent person or someone you cannot demand payment from, there is no zakah on it, but when you receive it, you pay zakah for one year for the time that has passed.