Debts Owed by People: Is Zakat Due on Them?
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The Shaykh : The third point: Debts, meaning the amounts owed by people. A person has debts owed to him by others; is there zakat on these debts? — Wait for the answer, I have it with me — !
We say: If the debts are with a person of means, meaning someone capable of paying, such that if you say, "Give it to me," he gives it to you, then there is zakat on it. Because a debt owed by a person of means is like the dirhams in your box; as soon as you say, "Give it to me," he says, "Please, take it." There is zakat on it every year, but you have the choice: if you wish, you may pay its zakat along with your other wealth, or if you wish, you may wait until you receive it from him. Once you receive it from him, you pay zakat on it for all the years that have passed. Do you understand? If the debts are owed by a person of means, and who is a person of means? The wealthy, generous person who says, "Take it whenever you want." Zakat becomes obligatory on it every year, but you have the choice regarding when to pay the zakat. If you wish, pay the zakat along with your wealth, and if you wish, delay it until you receive the debt, then pay it for all the time that has passed. Is this clear or not? So, if a person of means owes you twenty thousand riyals, and the lunar year has passed on your wealth, and this debt is part of your wealth, then if you wish, you may pay the zakat on the twenty thousand along with your wealth, or if you wish, you may delay the zakat on the twenty thousand until you receive it. If, for example, you receive it after five years, how much do you pay? You pay the zakat for five years. And if the debts are owed by a poor person, or by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, then there is no zakat on them. Pay attention: if the debts are owed by a poor person, or by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, then there is no zakat on them, because you are unable to benefit from them, either physically or legally. You are unable to benefit from them physically if they are owed by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, meaning you cannot sue him and then extract your right; you are unable to benefit from them legally when they are owed by a poor person, because a debt owed by a poor person is not something you can legally demand or claim. And on this occasion,
We say: If the debts are with a person of means, meaning someone capable of paying, such that if you say, "Give it to me," he gives it to you, then there is zakat on it. Because a debt owed by a person of means is like the dirhams in your box; as soon as you say, "Give it to me," he says, "Please, take it." There is zakat on it every year, but you have the choice: if you wish, you may pay its zakat along with your other wealth, or if you wish, you may wait until you receive it from him. Once you receive it from him, you pay zakat on it for all the years that have passed. Do you understand? If the debts are owed by a person of means, and who is a person of means? The wealthy, generous person who says, "Take it whenever you want." Zakat becomes obligatory on it every year, but you have the choice regarding when to pay the zakat. If you wish, pay the zakat along with your wealth, and if you wish, delay it until you receive the debt, then pay it for all the time that has passed. Is this clear or not? So, if a person of means owes you twenty thousand riyals, and the lunar year has passed on your wealth, and this debt is part of your wealth, then if you wish, you may pay the zakat on the twenty thousand along with your wealth, or if you wish, you may delay the zakat on the twenty thousand until you receive it. If, for example, you receive it after five years, how much do you pay? You pay the zakat for five years. And if the debts are owed by a poor person, or by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, then there is no zakat on them. Pay attention: if the debts are owed by a poor person, or by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, then there is no zakat on them, because you are unable to benefit from them, either physically or legally. You are unable to benefit from them physically if they are owed by a rich person whom you cannot demand payment from, meaning you cannot sue him and then extract your right; you are unable to benefit from them legally when they are owed by a poor person, because a debt owed by a poor person is not something you can legally demand or claim. And on this occasion,