It is mentioned that he has a plot of land he intends to build on, but after a period of time he does not know its value, and he asks whether zakah is due on it or not?

The questioner : A message was received from the listener Jum'ah Ibrahim, who resides in the Eastern Region. He mentions that he has a plot of land he intends to build on, but after a period of time he does not know its value, and he asks whether zakah is due on it or not?

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and I send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and the Imam of the righteous, and upon his family and all his Companions. The land that this questioner has, which he has prepared for building upon, has no zakah due on it. This is because zakah is only obligatory on lands and the like when they are prepared for trade; that is, when a person expects profit and gain from them, buying them today and selling them tomorrow, and so on, just as merchants sell the furniture, utensils, vessels, and other items they have. As for lands that are prepared for building upon, there is no zakah on them, whether he prepares them to build on them for his own residence or to build on them to rent them out; in either case, there is no zakah. Based on this, we say that there is no need for him to know the value of it or not, because there is no zakah on it. Yes.