Commercial goods.
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The Shaykh : The fourth category is commercial goods. Commercial goods are the most comprehensive of wealth because they are not restricted to a specific type of wealth; rather, all wealth in which a person trades is subject to zakah. So whatever a person prepares for trade, zakah is due on it, regardless of its type.
Let us look at a person who has cars that he buys and sells, the owner of a showroom. Is there zakah on them or not? There is zakah.
A person who has land that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on it? Yes, there is zakah.
A person who has vessels that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah.
A person who has office supplies. Is there zakah on them? Yes.
A person who has clothes—do not speak, brother—a person who has clothes that he buys and sells to earn a living. Is there zakah on them? Yes. The point is that whatever a person prepares for trade, is there zakah on it? Yes, there is zakah.
Now, what about a person who bought land to build a residence on, but years passed and he was unable to build? When he realized that he could not build, he intended to sell it. Is there zakah on it or not? There is no zakah on it, even if he gave it to the owner of the office. The owner of the office does not have zakah on it, because this person only intended to sell it to get rid of it, not for trade. This is a matter that confuses many people, but this is the answer.
A person buys land to build a house on, but he is unable to build, so he offers it for sale. There is no zakah on this, even if it remains for years. Because if you asked him, "Why did you sell it? Why do you want to sell it?" Would he say, "To trade in it," or would he say, "To get rid of it"? Answer, everyone: To get rid of it. He does not want to trade, and he is not one of those who trade in real estate, but he wants to get rid of it. We say there is no zakah on this, even if it remains for years.
If you give me the criterion for commercial goods? What is the criterion? The brother who is in a state of ihram, what is the criterion for commercial goods?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hmm, do you have no news? Rest, the one next to you? Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, everything one intends for trade. Okay, rest. Cars. Are cars included in commercial goods? Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah. Clothes. A person who has clothes that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on them? Vessels? Livestock. A person who has five camels and trades in camels, buying and selling them for trade. Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah. What if he has one camel, buying and selling camels, and he has one camel? Is there zakah on it? Stand up.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Does it fall under the criterion or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : It falls under the criterion. May Allah reward you.
Therefore, look, my brother, a person who has four camels. Four camels prepared for breeding. There is no zakah on them, even if they are grazing, because they are less than the nisab, as the minimum nisab for camels is five.
Now, what about a person who has two camels, but he is a man who trades, buying and selling camels. Is there zakah on them or not? He has zakah due on them. It is now clear that commercial goods are the most comprehensive of the types of wealth subject to zakah, because they are not tied to a specific wealth, but there is a criterion, not a specific designation, but a criterion. What is the criterion? The criterion is: whatever he prepares for trade is commercial goods, and zakah is obligatory on it. Okay. Now, may Allah be with you, there are important matters in the discussion of zakah. Do we continue, or do we devote ourselves to answering questions?
Of course, the one who has no question will say "continue," and the one who has a question will say "start," but in the middle. Okay.
Let us look at a person who has cars that he buys and sells, the owner of a showroom. Is there zakah on them or not? There is zakah.
A person who has land that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on it? Yes, there is zakah.
A person who has vessels that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah.
A person who has office supplies. Is there zakah on them? Yes.
A person who has clothes—do not speak, brother—a person who has clothes that he buys and sells to earn a living. Is there zakah on them? Yes. The point is that whatever a person prepares for trade, is there zakah on it? Yes, there is zakah.
Now, what about a person who bought land to build a residence on, but years passed and he was unable to build? When he realized that he could not build, he intended to sell it. Is there zakah on it or not? There is no zakah on it, even if he gave it to the owner of the office. The owner of the office does not have zakah on it, because this person only intended to sell it to get rid of it, not for trade. This is a matter that confuses many people, but this is the answer.
A person buys land to build a house on, but he is unable to build, so he offers it for sale. There is no zakah on this, even if it remains for years. Because if you asked him, "Why did you sell it? Why do you want to sell it?" Would he say, "To trade in it," or would he say, "To get rid of it"? Answer, everyone: To get rid of it. He does not want to trade, and he is not one of those who trade in real estate, but he wants to get rid of it. We say there is no zakah on this, even if it remains for years.
If you give me the criterion for commercial goods? What is the criterion? The brother who is in a state of ihram, what is the criterion for commercial goods?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hmm, do you have no news? Rest, the one next to you? Yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, everything one intends for trade. Okay, rest. Cars. Are cars included in commercial goods? Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah. Clothes. A person who has clothes that he buys and sells. Is there zakah on them? Vessels? Livestock. A person who has five camels and trades in camels, buying and selling them for trade. Is there zakah on them? Yes, there is zakah. What if he has one camel, buying and selling camels, and he has one camel? Is there zakah on it? Stand up.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Does it fall under the criterion or not?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : It falls under the criterion. May Allah reward you.
Therefore, look, my brother, a person who has four camels. Four camels prepared for breeding. There is no zakah on them, even if they are grazing, because they are less than the nisab, as the minimum nisab for camels is five.
Now, what about a person who has two camels, but he is a man who trades, buying and selling camels. Is there zakah on them or not? He has zakah due on them. It is now clear that commercial goods are the most comprehensive of the types of wealth subject to zakah, because they are not tied to a specific wealth, but there is a criterion, not a specific designation, but a criterion. What is the criterion? The criterion is: whatever he prepares for trade is commercial goods, and zakah is obligatory on it. Okay. Now, may Allah be with you, there are important matters in the discussion of zakah. Do we continue, or do we devote ourselves to answering questions?
Of course, the one who has no question will say "continue," and the one who has a question will say "start," but in the middle. Okay.