Is zakah due on side earnings acquired from sources other than the principal capital, and is a new lunar year set for them?

The questioner : Regarding zakah, whenever a person acquires new wealth from a source other than his principal capital, such as trade or the like, does he set a new lunar year for it? This is the question. And the other question...?

The Shaykh : Keep your question. This question has two opinions among the scholars. The first is that if the nisab is reached in the first month of Ramadan, zakah is not obligatory on him until the second month of the following year, or the second Ramadan. So if a second nisab is reached in Shawwal, it becomes obligatory on him in the second Shawwal, and so on. The second opinion is that this is not a condition; the important thing is that the lunar year completes on the first nisab. Then, when the time comes to pay the zakah on that first nisab at the end of the year, he pays the zakah on all the wealth available to him. He pays the zakah on all the wealth available to him, even if there are multiple nisabs and most of them have not completed a lunar year. They are added to the first nisab, and he pays the zakah on the total wealth that has accumulated with him. This opinion appears to be the practical one, and it is very difficult, especially for the wealthy, who may have a nisab or varying nisabs available to them every day or every month. This opinion is in accordance with the saying of the Exalted: and His saying, Mighty and Majestic: However, if there is a possibility to organize the nisabs without any hardship, then the original rule is that zakah is not obligatory on wealth until the lunar year completes. So if the merchant is in a position where he can count the nisabs, that is the original rule. Otherwise, he pays the zakah on all the wealth available to him, even if the lunar year has only completed on one nisab. This is the answer to that question. Please proceed.