I lent a man a sum of money, and this amount has remained with him for a while, and it reaches the full nisab. Do I have to pay zakah on it?
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The questioner : This questioner says: I lent a man a sum of money, and this amount has remained with him for a while, and it reaches the full nisab. Do I have to pay zakah on it?
The Shaykh : If the debtor who owes the debt is poor and you cannot demand it from him because of his insolvency, or if he is wealthy but is delaying payment and you cannot take him to court, then there is no zakah on the debt in his possession, even if it remains for many years. However, if you receive it, you must pay zakah on it once for the entire period that has passed. Then, once it enters your wealth, it will be zakaed along with your wealth.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for if the debt is owed by a wealthy person, then zakah is obligatory on it, even if it is less than the nisab, provided the person has other wealth that completes the nisab. Based on this, we say: you may pay zakah on this debt along with your wealth if you wish, or you may delay paying zakah on it until you receive it, and then pay zakah on it for all the years that have passed. For example, if Zayd has ten thousand riyals owed to him by 'Amr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if 'Amr is wealthy and Zayd can say at any time, "Give me my right," and 'Amr would give it to him, then in this case, it is obligatory for Zayd to pay zakah on this money every year along with his wealth, or to delay paying zakah on it until he receives it. If he receives it after two years have passed, he pays zakah for two years; if he receives it after five years have passed, he pays zakah for five years; if he receives it after ten years have passed, he pays zakah for ten years.
Based on this.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This lender who lent the person knows the ruling of this issue. He knows the ruling of this issue, which is that if the borrower is wealthy, it is obligatory to pay zakah on what he has every year. However, if he wishes, he may pay it out with his wealth, or if he wishes, he may delay it until he recovers the debt, and then pay it out for the period that has passed. And if the borrower is poor, then there is no zakah on him, meaning there is no zakah on the owner of the loan until he receives it. If he receives it, he pays zakah on it once for all the years that have passed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If the debtor who owes the debt is poor and you cannot demand it from him because of his insolvency, or if he is wealthy but is delaying payment and you cannot take him to court, then there is no zakah on the debt in his possession, even if it remains for many years. However, if you receive it, you must pay zakah on it once for the entire period that has passed. Then, once it enters your wealth, it will be zakaed along with your wealth.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for if the debt is owed by a wealthy person, then zakah is obligatory on it, even if it is less than the nisab, provided the person has other wealth that completes the nisab. Based on this, we say: you may pay zakah on this debt along with your wealth if you wish, or you may delay paying zakah on it until you receive it, and then pay zakah on it for all the years that have passed. For example, if Zayd has ten thousand riyals owed to him by 'Amr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if 'Amr is wealthy and Zayd can say at any time, "Give me my right," and 'Amr would give it to him, then in this case, it is obligatory for Zayd to pay zakah on this money every year along with his wealth, or to delay paying zakah on it until he receives it. If he receives it after two years have passed, he pays zakah for two years; if he receives it after five years have passed, he pays zakah for five years; if he receives it after ten years have passed, he pays zakah for ten years.
Based on this.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This lender who lent the person knows the ruling of this issue. He knows the ruling of this issue, which is that if the borrower is wealthy, it is obligatory to pay zakah on what he has every year. However, if he wishes, he may pay it out with his wealth, or if he wishes, he may delay it until he recovers the debt, and then pay it out for the period that has passed. And if the borrower is poor, then there is no zakah on him, meaning there is no zakah on the owner of the loan until he receives it. If he receives it, he pays zakah on it once for all the years that have passed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you, O honorable Shaykh.