He says in his letter: We heard in a past meeting with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen a discussion about zakah. He said that it is not permissible to pay the value in zakat al-fitr instead of the actual item.
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The questioner : Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : May Allah greet you.
The questioner : This letter reached us from listener Khaled Muhammad al-Khalid. He says in his letter: We heard in a past meeting with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen a discussion about zakah. He said that it is not permissible to pay the value in zakat al-fitr instead of the actual item, but for zakah other than zakat al-fitr, it is permissible to pay the value. We ask to know what is meant by the zakah he referred to as "zakah other than al-fitr." Also, many people, when they sell their crops, do not pay zakah until after a lunar year has passed on the money they have. What is the ruling on this? May Allah guide you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions. By "zakah other than al-fitr," we mean the zakah of livestock, grains, and fruits. As for the zakah of money and trade goods, it is taken from the currency.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : However, the zakah of livestock, which includes camels, cattle, and sheep, if they are grazing and not trade goods, and the zakah of grains and fruits, is taken from the actual items themselves, from the same grains and fruits or the same livestock, as is known from the Sunnah. But if public benefit or pressing need requires paying currency instead, then there is nothing wrong with that.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If the collector appointed by the state, I mean the one appointed by the state, asks the owner of the livestock to give him coins in lieu of the livestock, considering the benefit to the poor and the lightness of the burden of coins on him,
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : then there is nothing wrong with that. So the livestock is valued, for example, I mean the livestock that is the zakah is valued.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is known that, for example, there are forty sheep in this flock, these sheep are valued in coins and the collector takes them. The same applies to camels and to cattle.
Likewise, for grains and fruits, if the amount due is known. The amount due in the zakah of grains and fruits is known by common knowledge, meaning it is a shared portion: half of one-tenth for what is irrigated with effort, and a full one-tenth for what is irrigated without effort.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is permissible to pay the zakah from its value if you sell it, just as if you delivered it to the granaries, the granaries for grains, and took compensation for it, say ten thousand, it is permissible to pay the zakah from these coins if the amount is ten thousand and it is of the type irrigated without effort, like that which is watered by rain.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So in ten thousand, it is one thousand riyals. And if it is irrigated by machines, then in ten thousand it is five hundred riyals. There is nothing wrong with paying it from its value. Imam Ahmad stated this, as the author of "al-Furu'" mentioned from him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned in "al-Fatawa" that there is nothing wrong with it if public benefit or pressing need requires it. There is no doubt that this brings benefit to both the payer and the receiver. As for the payer, it clears his liability and is usually easier for him. As for the receiver, it is more beneficial for him because he benefits from the currency in various ways.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for grains or fruits, he does not benefit from them except in one way: eating them, or selling them, and their sale price is often low, causing him harm.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what we mean when we say that it is permissible to pay the value of the zakah in zakah other than zakat al-fitr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The Shaykh : May Allah greet you.
The questioner : This letter reached us from listener Khaled Muhammad al-Khalid. He says in his letter: We heard in a past meeting with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen a discussion about zakah. He said that it is not permissible to pay the value in zakat al-fitr instead of the actual item, but for zakah other than zakat al-fitr, it is permissible to pay the value. We ask to know what is meant by the zakah he referred to as "zakah other than al-fitr." Also, many people, when they sell their crops, do not pay zakah until after a lunar year has passed on the money they have. What is the ruling on this? May Allah guide you.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions. By "zakah other than al-fitr," we mean the zakah of livestock, grains, and fruits. As for the zakah of money and trade goods, it is taken from the currency.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : However, the zakah of livestock, which includes camels, cattle, and sheep, if they are grazing and not trade goods, and the zakah of grains and fruits, is taken from the actual items themselves, from the same grains and fruits or the same livestock, as is known from the Sunnah. But if public benefit or pressing need requires paying currency instead, then there is nothing wrong with that.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If the collector appointed by the state, I mean the one appointed by the state, asks the owner of the livestock to give him coins in lieu of the livestock, considering the benefit to the poor and the lightness of the burden of coins on him,
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : then there is nothing wrong with that. So the livestock is valued, for example, I mean the livestock that is the zakah is valued.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If it is known that, for example, there are forty sheep in this flock, these sheep are valued in coins and the collector takes them. The same applies to camels and to cattle.
Likewise, for grains and fruits, if the amount due is known. The amount due in the zakah of grains and fruits is known by common knowledge, meaning it is a shared portion: half of one-tenth for what is irrigated with effort, and a full one-tenth for what is irrigated without effort.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : It is permissible to pay the zakah from its value if you sell it, just as if you delivered it to the granaries, the granaries for grains, and took compensation for it, say ten thousand, it is permissible to pay the zakah from these coins if the amount is ten thousand and it is of the type irrigated without effort, like that which is watered by rain.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : So in ten thousand, it is one thousand riyals. And if it is irrigated by machines, then in ten thousand it is five hundred riyals. There is nothing wrong with paying it from its value. Imam Ahmad stated this, as the author of "al-Furu'" mentioned from him.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Likewise, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned in "al-Fatawa" that there is nothing wrong with it if public benefit or pressing need requires it. There is no doubt that this brings benefit to both the payer and the receiver. As for the payer, it clears his liability and is usually easier for him. As for the receiver, it is more beneficial for him because he benefits from the currency in various ways.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for grains or fruits, he does not benefit from them except in one way: eating them, or selling them, and their sale price is often low, causing him harm.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what we mean when we say that it is permissible to pay the value of the zakah in zakah other than zakat al-fitr.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes.