Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam Alaikum

I have one confusion regarding to pay zakat on excess asset held for 1 year. For example I got bonus from the company say 100,000 Rs on jan.1,
I purchased gold in May Rs 50,000. In jan next year I have cash balance 150,000 of which 50,000 from bonus last year and remaining amount Rs 100,000 recieved from various source only 3 month old plus Gold which i bought in May.

For Zakat, should I take bank balance of Rs 150,000 and gold value bought in May or to consider excess asset which is 1 year old i.e cash of Rs 50,000 only and defer zakat for remaining asset i.e cash Rs 100,000 and gold. Please advise in the light of shariah.

Jazak Allah Khair.

Wasalam

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Zakah on excess wealth

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

In principle, Zakah is only due on one’s excess saved wealth which has been in one’s possession for a period of one calendar year.

Firstly, as you were able to save Rs. 50,000.00 from the Rs. 100,000.00 bonus you received last year, and this Rs. 50,000 has been in your possession for a full calendar year, the zakah would be liable on only the Rs. 50,000.00 at a rate of 2.5%.

Because the other Rs. 100,000.00 you collected from other sources has only been in your possession for only 3 months, there is presently no zakah due on it; zakah would only be due on whatever you are able to save from this amount at the end of the calendar year.

Regarding the gold you bought in May for Rs. 50,000.00, the zakah would be due on it now; as the money that was used to buy the gold was from the Rs. 100,000.00 bonus you received at the beginning of the calendar year; thus because the wealth of Rs. 50,000, regardless of whether you left it in cash or bought gold with it, forms part of your excess saved wealth and has been in your possession for a period of one calendar year, its zakah would be due now at the rate of 2.5%.

The only zakah payment that will differed is the Rs. 100,000.00 which you collected from various sources and has been in your possession for a period of only 3 months; its zakah will be due only when a full year of possession has been completed.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan