The Ruling on Zakah in Date Palms
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
A man has a farm with date palms, which produce dates once a year. He sells this date fruit, but how does he pay its zakah?But there is a point: The cultivation of these date palms may not cover the cost of machinery, workers, electricity, and so on. What is the ruling in this case?
First we say: If what you mentioned is true, that the cost of this farm exceeds its production, let us ask: Does the man expect the excess expenditure to continue? Or is it because in its establishment and beginning, costs are higher?If it is the first: We see that it should not continue; because its continuation in this state means wasting money, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade wasting money.
As for if he hopes that in the future production will exceed expenditure, let him continue; because everything in its beginning is difficult and requires many expenses, and then when it stabilizes, production becomes greater.So at that time we say: Continue, and you must pay zakah, even if what you spent on this farm is many times more than the production. You must pay zakah on the fruit; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to send collectors to take zakah from owners of livestock and owners of fruits without asking them: Do you have debts that offset this or not? And because the need of the poor and the desire of the poor is attached to what is seen and apparent, so you cannot prevent the zakah. Therefore, the zakah is due on you. But how do you pay it?We say first: Pay zakah on this fruit as zakah on fruits. The obligatory amount in zakah on fruits is either one-tenth if it is watered without effort, or half of one-tenth. If you pay this when it is harvested and you take the money, pay zakah on this money when a lunar year has passed over it. In money, it is one-quarter of one-tenth.
The questioner: But the second point is that it has been old for about fifteen years, but it is not always so; sometimes it makes a little profit and sometimes it breaks even.
The Shaykh: We have no concern with its profit or loss. These are fruits that Allah has brought out for you, and Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Baqarah: 267] So let him pay zakah.When he says: I did not pay zakah in the past, and I do not know.We say: The matter is broad, and praise be to Allah. Calculate and examine yourself with a precise calculation, and if you increase, it is better for you.
The questioner: Do I pay zakah for the past?The Shaykh: Yes.
Pay zakah for the past. If it was obligatory on you, you have performed it. And if it is more than the obligatory amount, it is good.
First we say: If what you mentioned is true, that the cost of this farm exceeds its production, let us ask: Does the man expect the excess expenditure to continue? Or is it because in its establishment and beginning, costs are higher?If it is the first: We see that it should not continue; because its continuation in this state means wasting money, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade wasting money.
As for if he hopes that in the future production will exceed expenditure, let him continue; because everything in its beginning is difficult and requires many expenses, and then when it stabilizes, production becomes greater.So at that time we say: Continue, and you must pay zakah, even if what you spent on this farm is many times more than the production. You must pay zakah on the fruit; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) used to send collectors to take zakah from owners of livestock and owners of fruits without asking them: Do you have debts that offset this or not? And because the need of the poor and the desire of the poor is attached to what is seen and apparent, so you cannot prevent the zakah. Therefore, the zakah is due on you. But how do you pay it?We say first: Pay zakah on this fruit as zakah on fruits. The obligatory amount in zakah on fruits is either one-tenth if it is watered without effort, or half of one-tenth. If you pay this when it is harvested and you take the money, pay zakah on this money when a lunar year has passed over it. In money, it is one-quarter of one-tenth.
The questioner: But the second point is that it has been old for about fifteen years, but it is not always so; sometimes it makes a little profit and sometimes it breaks even.
The Shaykh: We have no concern with its profit or loss. These are fruits that Allah has brought out for you, and Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, spend from the good things which you have earned and from that which We have produced for you from the earth
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْفِقُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَمِمَّا أَخْرَجْنَا لَكُمْ مِنَ الْأَرْضِThe questioner: Do I pay zakah for the past?The Shaykh: Yes.
Pay zakah for the past. If it was obligatory on you, you have performed it. And if it is more than the obligatory amount, it is good.