Is zakah obligatory in a trade in which he is indebted?
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The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
A man has a shop, for example selling spare parts, and he has debts on this shop and installments. Is zakah obligatory on him?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that zakah is obligatory on him if a man has a trade and is indebted in it. The truth is that zakah is obligatory on him because debt does not prevent the obligation of zakah, due to the generality of the evidence indicating the obligation of zakah in wealth. Not a single word has come from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, "Whoever has a debt has no zakah." The reasoning that zakah is a form of charity and that the debtor is not qualified for it is a reasoning that opposes the text. It is said that this reasoning does not specify the evidence for the obligation of zakah. Furthermore, who said that zakah is charity? One might say that zakah is worship of Allah the Exalted and Majestic, and that is the most important aspect of it. When a person pays it out, even if he wants to benefit the poor, it should not be the most important thing for him; rather, the most important thing is that he worships Allah the Exalted by paying out what He loves from wealth in obedience to Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Therefore, the statement that zakah is charity, that the debtor is not qualified for charity, and that one who has a debt and possesses zakatable wealth does not pay zakah is a weak statement. The correct view is: that one who has a debt must pay zakah due to the generality of the evidence. The reasoning that it is charity, as you saw, is questionable. In fact, zakah is worship where a person gives out what he loves most for the love of Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Fajr 89:20] And He said: [Al-'Adiyat 100:8] meaning wealth and yet he gives it out with a willing heart, because he is willing with it, because Allah commanded him to do so.
The questioner : meaning ...
The Shaykh : Whatever contradicts this, he pays the zakah, and regarding the debts, he seeks help from Allah the Exalted and Majestic to pay them off and asks Him to pay them off. Last question.
A man has a shop, for example selling spare parts, and he has debts on this shop and installments. Is zakah obligatory on him?
The Shaykh : The correct view is that zakah is obligatory on him if a man has a trade and is indebted in it. The truth is that zakah is obligatory on him because debt does not prevent the obligation of zakah, due to the generality of the evidence indicating the obligation of zakah in wealth. Not a single word has come from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, "Whoever has a debt has no zakah." The reasoning that zakah is a form of charity and that the debtor is not qualified for it is a reasoning that opposes the text. It is said that this reasoning does not specify the evidence for the obligation of zakah. Furthermore, who said that zakah is charity? One might say that zakah is worship of Allah the Exalted and Majestic, and that is the most important aspect of it. When a person pays it out, even if he wants to benefit the poor, it should not be the most important thing for him; rather, the most important thing is that he worships Allah the Exalted by paying out what He loves from wealth in obedience to Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Therefore, the statement that zakah is charity, that the debtor is not qualified for charity, and that one who has a debt and possesses zakatable wealth does not pay zakah is a weak statement. The correct view is: that one who has a debt must pay zakah due to the generality of the evidence. The reasoning that it is charity, as you saw, is questionable. In fact, zakah is worship where a person gives out what he loves most for the love of Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Allah the Exalted said:
And you love wealth with immense love.
وتحبون المال حبا جماAnd indeed he is, in love of wealth
وإنه لحب الخيرis severe
لشديدThe questioner : meaning ...
The Shaykh : Whatever contradicts this, he pays the zakah, and regarding the debts, he seeks help from Allah the Exalted and Majestic to pay them off and asks Him to pay them off. Last question.