One of the attendees spoke about trade goods.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I say: I have listened to what you have discussed, may Allah bless you and our gathering with you. In truth, when I read the books of the scholars and find them affirming the zakat on trade goods, there were things in my mind for which I did not find an answer. For example, we find a man who has a building that he rents out; let us say its value is ten million, and he rents it out for one million riyals. Some scholars say that he pays zakat on this one million from the moment he receives the rent, while others say: when the lunar year has passed on this rent, he pays zakat on the one million, which is twenty-five thousand riyals. Meanwhile, we find another man who is also engaged in trade goods, and his capital is ten million, and he does not make a profit; he may even lose a million. We find those who speak about trade goods saying that he must pay zakat of approximately two hundred and forty thousand, or close to that. This matter was on my mind: is the zakat on trade goods on all trade? Even though we find that in agriculture it is only on the produce of the land, and we find it also, as I said, on the lessor, on the one who says: when the lunar year has passed on the rent and what he benefits from it, and other things he has.
So this was a case for which I did not find an answer, or for which there is an answer. The difference you mentioned between hoarded wealth and trade goods is indeed clear, because this is to encourage the merchant to move his wealth, and it is in reality a benefit for the poor in general, and for the rich, and for others. This is a matter that is not denied and is observed. You referred to another issue, which is the matter of considering the condition of the poor and the condition of the rich. I was writing about this issue two days ago, and I am affirming the methodology of moderation, so I said that I stood before the saying of Allah the Exalted: . And I said that moderation, as I understand it, the summary of what I have reached is that moderation cannot be called moderation unless it includes the meaning of excellence and the meaning of being in between.

The Shaykh : The meaning of excellence and the meaning of?

The questioner : And being in between, that it be a matter between two matters, and be better. And I gave an example of that: . A person may come and say that you feed the best types, this is the best, so it is moderation. I say to him: No, I say: originally the best good is to feed the middle, meaning between the two matters, because it includes consideration for the condition of the rich and consideration for the condition of the poor. If we said to the rich, feed the best you have, we would consider the condition of the poor without the rich. And if we said, feed whatever you wish without restriction, he would feed what harms the poor. So the Shari'ah came to consider the condition of both, the condition of the poor and the condition of the rich, and it ultimately has also a superiority and far-reaching implications, so that we leave with our souls pure and convinced. So you referred to this issue, and I also found acceptance in my soul, may Allah bless you, considering the condition of both parties, which is the rich and also the poor in this issue.
So I say, may Allah reward you with good, this issue, which is the issue of trade goods, and as you know, the words of the scholars in it, I feel from what you have discussed that the issue, I say in what I have listened to, is still very important, its research is very important, and the discussion in it and clarifying this issue in a broader way. And once again, I hope you do not get upset or angry with me when I say how much I wish it were dedicated to a thesis for its importance, and I do not see that it is less than the other theses you have dedicated, and they are very many, and praise be to Allah, because it is a general issue and the opinions and evidence are clarified in it, and it ends with the correct saying in which the request is fulfilled, and may Allah bless you and reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And you, may Allah reward you with good, for your good opinion of your brother first.

The questioner: Of my Shaykhs.

The Shaykh : May Allah bless you, I am your brother, and it is sufficient for us as a favor that we are brothers and that Islam unites us.

The questioner : May Allah bless you.

The Shaykh : And mutual advice in the religion of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Then I thank you for your useful scientific suggestions for the Muslim community, for I have benefited from you despite the shortness of your stay with me, and this is my bad luck. I benefited from you with two suggestions, so what would your suggestions be if you had many days with me? And then I would say to you, with which of your suggestions do I start?

The questioner : My suggestions are all easy and simple.

The Shaykh : That is what you think.

The questioner : And that is why I said to you, O Shaykh: the first thing is that I should not prolong my stay with you, every hour with a suggestion.

The Shaykh : No, this is a concern, because this is not from cooperation. Please, give us what you have.