The Wealth in Which Zakah Is Obligatory
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Zakah is obligatory in wealth that generally grows, though it may not be obligatory in growing wealth and may be obligatory in stagnant wealth, depending on what the texts state.For example, what is obligatory in zakah: Gold and silver, in all cases, whether in the form of currency like dinars and dirhams, or as jewelry, or as pieces of gold or pieces of silver. The important point is that zakah is obligatory in gold and silver in all cases. As for other precious metals, there is no zakah in them unless they are for trade.
-And what is obligatory in zakah is trade goods, meaning: Wealth that a person sets aside for trade and earning, regardless of the type of wealth the owner intends for earning, is trade goods. This includes real estate, land, cars, tractors, watches, fabrics, and vessels. Anything you prepare for trade has zakah in it. The reason is: what is the purpose of trade? Is the purpose the item itself or its value and profit? It is undoubtedly the latter. This is why a person buys an item in the morning and sells it in the evening if he finds a profit. This is unlike an item a person acquires for himself, such as his house or real estate that he rents out. He intends for these to remain; he does not want to sell them. Therefore, we say: Zakah is obligatory in trade goods. In what wealth? In all wealth. Whether it is any type of wealth that a person allocates for trade, it is trade goods. So what is the amount of zakah in gold, silver, and trade goods?The amount of zakah is a quarter of a tenth, meaning: One out of forty, provided that it reaches the nisab. The nisab for gold is twenty mithqals.
The nisab for silver is one hundred and forty mithqals.
The nisab for gold in the current standards is eighty-five grams.
And the nisab for silver is five hundred and ninety-five grams. Anything less than that has no zakah.
Gold is not combined with silver to complete the nisab.Meaning: If a person has half a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, we do not complete one with the other. We say: There is no zakah on you, because you do not possess a nisab of gold nor a nisab of silver.Therefore: He owes no zakah.
And some scholars said: He combines gold with silver to complete the nisab. So if he has half a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, zakah becomes obligatory on him. But this opinion is rejected and is not correct. Because just as barley is not combined with wheat to complete the nisab, gold is not combined with silver to complete the nisab. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between them.He said: (Gold for gold, and silver for silver, like for like, equal in amount, hand to hand).
Therefore, if a person has a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, is zakah obligatory on him? He owes zakah on the gold, but he does not owe zakah on the silver. As for the value of trade goods, it is combined with yours. Because the intended purpose of trade goods is their value. For example, if a person has trade goods equal to half a nisab of silver, and he has half a nisab of pure silver, is zakah obligatory on him? Yes, zakah is obligatory on him. Why? Because the intended purpose of trade goods is their value, not the items themselves, which the person does not want.
-And what is obligatory in zakah is trade goods, meaning: Wealth that a person sets aside for trade and earning, regardless of the type of wealth the owner intends for earning, is trade goods. This includes real estate, land, cars, tractors, watches, fabrics, and vessels. Anything you prepare for trade has zakah in it. The reason is: what is the purpose of trade? Is the purpose the item itself or its value and profit? It is undoubtedly the latter. This is why a person buys an item in the morning and sells it in the evening if he finds a profit. This is unlike an item a person acquires for himself, such as his house or real estate that he rents out. He intends for these to remain; he does not want to sell them. Therefore, we say: Zakah is obligatory in trade goods. In what wealth? In all wealth. Whether it is any type of wealth that a person allocates for trade, it is trade goods. So what is the amount of zakah in gold, silver, and trade goods?The amount of zakah is a quarter of a tenth, meaning: One out of forty, provided that it reaches the nisab. The nisab for gold is twenty mithqals.
The nisab for silver is one hundred and forty mithqals.
The nisab for gold in the current standards is eighty-five grams.
And the nisab for silver is five hundred and ninety-five grams. Anything less than that has no zakah.
Gold is not combined with silver to complete the nisab.Meaning: If a person has half a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, we do not complete one with the other. We say: There is no zakah on you, because you do not possess a nisab of gold nor a nisab of silver.Therefore: He owes no zakah.
And some scholars said: He combines gold with silver to complete the nisab. So if he has half a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, zakah becomes obligatory on him. But this opinion is rejected and is not correct. Because just as barley is not combined with wheat to complete the nisab, gold is not combined with silver to complete the nisab. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) distinguished between them.He said: (Gold for gold, and silver for silver, like for like, equal in amount, hand to hand).
Therefore, if a person has a nisab of gold and half a nisab of silver, is zakah obligatory on him? He owes zakah on the gold, but he does not owe zakah on the silver. As for the value of trade goods, it is combined with yours. Because the intended purpose of trade goods is their value. For example, if a person has trade goods equal to half a nisab of silver, and he has half a nisab of pure silver, is zakah obligatory on him? Yes, zakah is obligatory on him. Why? Because the intended purpose of trade goods is their value, not the items themselves, which the person does not want.