I lent a man a sum of money, and this amount has remained with him, and it is a 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, and it is a 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 it is collected, it is to be zakked once for the time that has passed. Then, once it enters your wealth, it will be zakked 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 what completes the nisab. Based on this, we say: you may zakk this debt along with your wealth if you wish, or you may delay its zakah until you collect it, and then zakk 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 he gives it to him, then in this case, it is obligatory for Zayd to zakk this money every year along with his wealth, or to delay its zakah until he collects it. If he collects it after two years have passed, he zakked it for two years; if he collects it after five years have passed, he zakked it for five years; if he collects it after ten years have passed, he zakked it for ten years.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge.
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 it is collected, it is to be zakked once for the time that has passed. Then, once it enters your wealth, it will be zakked 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 what completes the nisab. Based on this, we say: you may zakk this debt along with your wealth if you wish, or you may delay its zakah until you collect it, and then zakk 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 he gives it to him, then in this case, it is obligatory for Zayd to zakk this money every year along with his wealth, or to delay its zakah until he collects it. If he collects it after two years have passed, he zakked it for two years; if he collects it after five years have passed, he zakked it for five years; if he collects it after ten years have passed, he zakked it for ten years.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge.