Zakat on livestock.

The Shaykh : Livestock is subject to zakat. Livestock refers to domesticated animals, and there are three types of domesticated animals: camels, cattle, and sheep. Horses are not included. My brothers, are horses considered domesticated animals? No. There is no zakat on horses, unless they are merchandise for trade. Now, suppose a person has livestock: camels, sheep, and cattle. If he keeps them for breeding, note this: if he keeps them for breeding, there is a specific ruling. If they are for trade, there is a different ruling. If they are for trade, they are merchandise for trade, and we have established that zakat is due on them. If they are for breeding, we look at whether he grazes them or feeds them. If he grazes them for most of the year, zakat is due. If he feeds them for most of the year, there is no zakat. Are you with me? Good. Some people have orchards, praise be to Allah. And some Bedouins have sheep, but they feed them barley and fodder, and they intend them for breeding, not for trade. Do they owe zakat or not? No, they do not owe zakat. Even if they have one hundred camels, there is no zakat, or if they have one thousand sheep, there is no zakat. Why? Because they are fed, and there is no zakat on fed animals. They must be grazing, meaning they graze for a full year or most of it. Is that clear, my brothers? So what do you say about a man who has an orchard and one hundred sheep for breeding? They multiply, he takes their milk, and he sells the offspring that exceed his needs. Is there zakat? He feeds them, he feeds them. There is no zakat. Good. A Bedouin has one hundred sheep for breeding, but they graze, and he does not spend a single penny on them. Is there zakat? Yes, there is zakat. Good. May Allah reward you. A man has sheep for trade; a person who buys and sells sheep. He has sheep for trade, and their value reaches the nisab of silver. Is there zakat? Why? Because they are merchandise for trade. Another man has thirty-nine sheep for breeding, and they graze, and he does not feed them. Is there zakat? There is no zakat. Why? Because they have not reached the nisab. The nisab for sheep kept for breeding is not less than forty sheep. Look, glory be to Allah! For merchandise for trade, even one sheep is subject to zakat, because what is considered is what? Its value. Its value is what is considered. For breeding, thirty-nine sheep are not subject to zakat, because what is the minimum nisab for sheep for breeding? What is it? Forty.