If a person has a debt that he collects after ten years, does he pay zakah on the entire amount, or does he calculate the reduction in zakah each year?
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The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... So does he pay zakah on the twenty thousand, or on the original amount? ... I mean, if he pays zakah every year ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, if he has wealth, he pays zakah on it every full year. But if he has nothing else, it will decrease every year, so he calculates the decrease. For example, how much is his zakah in the first year?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, in the second year, it will be nine hundred and ninety-seven.
The questioner : Does he pay zakah on the nine hundred and ninety-seven?
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, it does not become that if he has nothing else. But if he has something else, the wealth remains and does not decrease; it remains not decreased. Even if he has nothing else, this is based on the scholarly disagreement regarding the issue of debt: if a person has a debt, does it reduce the nisab or reduce the wealth? Is it calculated against him and the corresponding amount of zakah is cancelled, or not? We will come to this, if Allah wills. Yes, Diya?
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : ... So does he pay zakah on the twenty thousand, or on the original amount? ... I mean, if he pays zakah every year ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, if he has wealth, he pays zakah on it every full year. But if he has nothing else, it will decrease every year, so he calculates the decrease. For example, how much is his zakah in the first year?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, in the second year, it will be nine hundred and ninety-seven.
The questioner : Does he pay zakah on the nine hundred and ninety-seven?
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, it does not become that if he has nothing else. But if he has something else, the wealth remains and does not decrease; it remains not decreased. Even if he has nothing else, this is based on the scholarly disagreement regarding the issue of debt: if a person has a debt, does it reduce the nisab or reduce the wealth? Is it calculated against him and the corresponding amount of zakah is cancelled, or not? We will come to this, if Allah wills. Yes, Diya?