Ruling on Dividing Up Zakah
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Is it permissible for me to divide up the amount obligatory for the zakah of gold, by paying five hundred now and, for example, another five hundred after two months when the lunar year has passed? And is the passage of the lunar year necessary? And if it exceeds the lunar year, is he considered sinful or not?
Dividing up the zakah, if it is done as an advance, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if his lunar year ends in Ramadan and he starts giving zakah in Jumada, there is nothing wrong with that; because the most that is in it is that he advanced some of the zakah, and advancing some of the zakah is permissible, just as advancing all of the zakah is permissible. As for delaying it, it is not permissible for the zakah, once it becomes due, to be delayed in part and paid in installments; because the zakah must be paid immediately in one go, except that he may be excused for ten days, a month, or half a month. Likewise, if we suppose that the poor people with him are few, and if he paid them all at once they would ruin it, and he wants to pay it to them in installments for their benefit, then there is nothing wrong with that; because this is for the benefit of the recipient.
Dividing up the zakah, if it is done as an advance, there is nothing wrong with it. For example, if his lunar year ends in Ramadan and he starts giving zakah in Jumada, there is nothing wrong with that; because the most that is in it is that he advanced some of the zakah, and advancing some of the zakah is permissible, just as advancing all of the zakah is permissible. As for delaying it, it is not permissible for the zakah, once it becomes due, to be delayed in part and paid in installments; because the zakah must be paid immediately in one go, except that he may be excused for ten days, a month, or half a month. Likewise, if we suppose that the poor people with him are few, and if he paid them all at once they would ruin it, and he wants to pay it to them in installments for their benefit, then there is nothing wrong with that; because this is for the benefit of the recipient.