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:

Please i want to know the percentage of zakat for the gold ornaments. & Actually i heard that there is no zakat for the gold ornament, which is kept to wear for ladies. Waiting for your answer  

(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 gold

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.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1558 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (saws) and she was accompanied by her daughter who wore two heavy gold bangles in her hands. He (saws) said to her: ‘Do you pay zakat on them?’ She said: ‘No.’ He (saws) then said: ‘Are you pleased that Allah may put two bangles of fire on your hands?’ Thereupon she took them off and placed them before the Prophet (saws) saying: ‘They are for Allah and His Messenger (saws).’

If one’s total nett worth is less than the prescribed ‘nisaab’, then one does not have to pay any ‘zakaah’ on their wealth, but if the total nett worth of the believer is more than the prescribed ‘nisaab’ of 7.5 tolas of gold (app. 85 grams or app. Value US$1,000.00), then the person is liable to pay the obligatory zakat at the rate of 2.5% on their excess wealth, including one’s possessions in gold. which has been in his/her possession for a period of one calendar year

Your Statement: i heard that there is no zakat for the gold ornament, which is kept to wear for ladies.

If the total possessions of a believer does not exceed the prescribed ‘nisaab’ of approximately US$1,000.00, and the only piece of gold the person has is the one she constantly wears, then indeed zakah would not be liable on the gold of such a person.

But if the total nett worth of the person exceeds the prescribed ‘nisaab’, then the payment of zakah would be obligatory upon that person, including the gold which is kept for the ladies to wear.

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