The ruling on zakah for one who has trade and owes a debt
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Regarding a man who has trade and owes debts, does he pay the zakah, or does he pay the debts he owes from his zakah?
Answer:
It is obligatory for him to pay zakah, and the debt remains a liability, and it does not prevent the payment of zakah. This is the correct view, according to the most precise scholars among the people of knowledge: the debt does not prevent the payment of zakah. However, he must pay zakah on the wealth in his possession, and Allah will compensate him for the rest. But if he wishes to settle the debt, there is no objection to him paying the debt before the zakah becomes obligatory, before the time for zakah arrives; he pays the debt and then pays zakah on the remainder.
The presenter : But paying the debt from the zakah itself, or from his own wealth?
The Shaykh : From his own wealth.
The presenter : From his own wealth.
The Shaykh : He pays the zakah from the wealth itself. If he has other wealth... he pays the zakah from the wealth he has. If he has what corresponds to it, let him pay the zakah from the wealth...
The point is: this wealth for which zakah is due, he pays zakah on it when the lunar year has passed, and the debt does not prevent him. But if this wealth that he has set aside for zakah, such as goods, or if there is zakah due on it and the lunar year has passed, and he wishes to pay off the debt from it, there is no objection, before the lunar year completes. For example, if the lunar year completes in Ramadan, and he pays the debt from this wealth in Sha'ban or Rajab, then the zakah on what he paid out to settle the debt is dropped.
The presenter : May Allah bless you, but what is the ruling on him paying the debt from the zakah of the wealth?
The Shaykh : He does not pay it from the zakah of the wealth... he pays it from the wealth.
The presenter : Is he asking about this, may Allah preserve you?
The Shaykh : No. He pays it from the wealth he has. As for the zakah, he gives it to those who are entitled to it. The payment is from his own wealth to the creditors, if it is before the lunar year of the zakah. He pays zakah on the remainder. But if the lunar year has passed, he pays zakah on what is present, and the debt does not prevent him.
The presenter : May Allah bless you, may Allah reward you with good.
Regarding a man who has trade and owes debts, does he pay the zakah, or does he pay the debts he owes from his zakah?
Answer:
It is obligatory for him to pay zakah, and the debt remains a liability, and it does not prevent the payment of zakah. This is the correct view, according to the most precise scholars among the people of knowledge: the debt does not prevent the payment of zakah. However, he must pay zakah on the wealth in his possession, and Allah will compensate him for the rest. But if he wishes to settle the debt, there is no objection to him paying the debt before the zakah becomes obligatory, before the time for zakah arrives; he pays the debt and then pays zakah on the remainder.
The presenter : But paying the debt from the zakah itself, or from his own wealth?
The Shaykh : From his own wealth.
The presenter : From his own wealth.
The Shaykh : He pays the zakah from the wealth itself. If he has other wealth... he pays the zakah from the wealth he has. If he has what corresponds to it, let him pay the zakah from the wealth...
The point is: this wealth for which zakah is due, he pays zakah on it when the lunar year has passed, and the debt does not prevent him. But if this wealth that he has set aside for zakah, such as goods, or if there is zakah due on it and the lunar year has passed, and he wishes to pay off the debt from it, there is no objection, before the lunar year completes. For example, if the lunar year completes in Ramadan, and he pays the debt from this wealth in Sha'ban or Rajab, then the zakah on what he paid out to settle the debt is dropped.
The presenter : May Allah bless you, but what is the ruling on him paying the debt from the zakah of the wealth?
The Shaykh : He does not pay it from the zakah of the wealth... he pays it from the wealth.
The presenter : Is he asking about this, may Allah preserve you?
The Shaykh : No. He pays it from the wealth he has. As for the zakah, he gives it to those who are entitled to it. The payment is from his own wealth to the creditors, if it is before the lunar year of the zakah. He pays zakah on the remainder. But if the lunar year has passed, he pays zakah on what is present, and the debt does not prevent him.
The presenter : May Allah bless you, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.