A man whose trade is in selling foodstuffs, and upon the annual inventory and the determination of zakah, he paid the zakah in kind to those entitled to it. What is your opinion on this?
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The questioner : A merchant whose trade is in selling foodstuffs, and upon the annual inventory and the determination of zakah, he paid the zakah in kind to those entitled to it. What is your opinion on this?
The Shaykh : The scenario is this: a man sells foodstuffs such as rice, dates, and other types of food that people eat. If the year is completed and he pays the zakah of his wealth from these items rather than from money, does that suffice for him or not? There are two opinions among the scholars on this. Some said that it suffices for him, so he pays the zakah of each type from that type itself: the zakah of the rice from the rice, the zakah of the dates from the dates, and so on. Other scholars said that it is obligatory for him to pay the zakah from the value, because the zakah is due on the value of trade goods, not on the items themselves. He should pay from the value. This opinion is more cautious and safer for the conscience.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner says...
The Shaykh : All right, if we say he pays from the value, how does he do it? We say: appraise the assets you have, what are they worth now, and pay one quarter of a tenth, which is twenty-five for every thousand. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He appraises them.
The questioner : At the selling price or the buying price?
The Shaykh : He appraises them now for what they are worth. They may be worth more than what he paid for them, or they may be worth less. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The scenario is this: a man sells foodstuffs such as rice, dates, and other types of food that people eat. If the year is completed and he pays the zakah of his wealth from these items rather than from money, does that suffice for him or not? There are two opinions among the scholars on this. Some said that it suffices for him, so he pays the zakah of each type from that type itself: the zakah of the rice from the rice, the zakah of the dates from the dates, and so on. Other scholars said that it is obligatory for him to pay the zakah from the value, because the zakah is due on the value of trade goods, not on the items themselves. He should pay from the value. This opinion is more cautious and safer for the conscience.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner says...
The Shaykh : All right, if we say he pays from the value, how does he do it? We say: appraise the assets you have, what are they worth now, and pay one quarter of a tenth, which is twenty-five for every thousand. Yes.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : He appraises them.
The questioner : At the selling price or the buying price?
The Shaykh : He appraises them now for what they are worth. They may be worth more than what he paid for them, or they may be worth less. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.