Ruling on Delaying the Payment of Zakah
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The questioner : O Shaykh! What is the ruling if the zakah on gold is delayed for more than three months? This is one matter.
And the other matter: What is the ruling if one buys new gold and adds it to the old gold for which zakah has become obligatory?
The Shaykh : Delaying the zakah, whether it is the zakah on gold or anything else, is not permissible, except if a person does not find anyone eligible to receive the zakah and delays it in order to seek out someone he considers eligible; in that case, there is nothing wrong with it; but he must track the lunar year;So that he does not say in the second year, for example: I have not paid zakah except for a period of six months,So I add another six months, for example: If it becomes due in Ramadan, and he did not find anyone to give it to, and he delayed it until Dhu al-Qa'dah, then when the second Ramadan arrives, he pays the zakah,So he does not say: I did not pay it except in Dhu al-Qa'dah, so I do not pay it except in Dhu al-Qa'dah; because the first instance was a delay, so if it is for a benefit, there is nothing wrong with it.
The Shaykh : As for if one buys gold during the lunar year, it is not added to the first gold for the purpose of zakah, but it is given its own lunar year; and if he wishes to add it to the first and pay the zakah on both at the same time, there is nothing wrong with it, and this is considered paying the zakah early.
The questioner: And what if the new gold is less than the nisab?The Shaykh: If what he bought is less than the nisab, it is added to the first for the purpose of the nisab; but for the lunar year, it has its own year, unless he chooses to make the zakah on both in the same month.
And the other matter: What is the ruling if one buys new gold and adds it to the old gold for which zakah has become obligatory?
The Shaykh : Delaying the zakah, whether it is the zakah on gold or anything else, is not permissible, except if a person does not find anyone eligible to receive the zakah and delays it in order to seek out someone he considers eligible; in that case, there is nothing wrong with it; but he must track the lunar year;So that he does not say in the second year, for example: I have not paid zakah except for a period of six months,So I add another six months, for example: If it becomes due in Ramadan, and he did not find anyone to give it to, and he delayed it until Dhu al-Qa'dah, then when the second Ramadan arrives, he pays the zakah,So he does not say: I did not pay it except in Dhu al-Qa'dah, so I do not pay it except in Dhu al-Qa'dah; because the first instance was a delay, so if it is for a benefit, there is nothing wrong with it.
The Shaykh : As for if one buys gold during the lunar year, it is not added to the first gold for the purpose of zakah, but it is given its own lunar year; and if he wishes to add it to the first and pay the zakah on both at the same time, there is nothing wrong with it, and this is considered paying the zakah early.
The questioner: And what if the new gold is less than the nisab?The Shaykh: If what he bought is less than the nisab, it is added to the first for the purpose of the nisab; but for the lunar year, it has its own year, unless he chooses to make the zakah on both in the same month.