What are the crops and fruits for which zakah is obligatory? And what is the evidence?
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The questioner : A questioner asks, saying: What are the crops and fruits for which zakah is obligatory, and what is the evidence for that?
The Shaykh : Wheat, barley, dates, and raisins. These are the items upon which Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, has made zakah obligatory, through the tongue of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is specifically these that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mu'adh ibn Jabal to take when he sent him as a caller to Yemen. He even went further and said to him: Do not take charity from them except from these four types. These are the items from the crops for which zakah is obligatory. As for the other crops, fruits, and produce, they are subject to a general zakah, where the nisab (minimum threshold) required for the first type and the four types is not a condition. What is that? Five awsuq, meaning loads of camels. For example, if wheat reaches five loads, which is approximately ten of the known sacks, then zakah is obligatory on it, and less than that does not require zakah. Then the amount of zakah due on it varies according to the land that produced these grains. If it is rain-fed, then one-tenth is due on it. If it is irrigated by canals, animals, or the like, then one-fifth is due on it. As for the other crops that do not have a specific zakah, and especially the fruits, and more specifically...
The questioner : Is half of one-tenth one-twentieth?
The Shaykh : Half of one-tenth. Did I say one-fifth?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. May Allah reward you with good. As for fruits and produce, and especially vegetables, for which zakah is not obligatory, when it is said that zakah is not obligatory on them, it refers to the specific zakah, whose nisab and obligatory amount are known, and the like. But they are subject to a general, absolute zakah, in order to purify the souls of those who give, as the Lord of the Worlds said: In short, the four types of crops we mentioned are those for which the authentic text has come regarding the obligation of zakah, as detailed above. Yes.
The Shaykh : Wheat, barley, dates, and raisins. These are the items upon which Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, has made zakah obligatory, through the tongue of His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is specifically these that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mu'adh ibn Jabal to take when he sent him as a caller to Yemen. He even went further and said to him: Do not take charity from them except from these four types. These are the items from the crops for which zakah is obligatory. As for the other crops, fruits, and produce, they are subject to a general zakah, where the nisab (minimum threshold) required for the first type and the four types is not a condition. What is that? Five awsuq, meaning loads of camels. For example, if wheat reaches five loads, which is approximately ten of the known sacks, then zakah is obligatory on it, and less than that does not require zakah. Then the amount of zakah due on it varies according to the land that produced these grains. If it is rain-fed, then one-tenth is due on it. If it is irrigated by canals, animals, or the like, then one-fifth is due on it. As for the other crops that do not have a specific zakah, and especially the fruits, and more specifically...
The questioner : Is half of one-tenth one-twentieth?
The Shaykh : Half of one-tenth. Did I say one-fifth?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. May Allah reward you with good. As for fruits and produce, and especially vegetables, for which zakah is not obligatory, when it is said that zakah is not obligatory on them, it refers to the specific zakah, whose nisab and obligatory amount are known, and the like. But they are subject to a general, absolute zakah, in order to purify the souls of those who give, as the Lord of the Worlds said:
He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who withholds it.
قد أفلح من زكاها وقد خاب من دساها
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.