Is zakat farz on students? I do work, and i own a car, but i work to pay my tuition off. So is zakat farz on me?

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:

Is zakat farz on students? I do work, and i own a car, but i work to pay my tuition off. So is zakat farz on me?

 

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Answer:

 

Zakah on students

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Every believer, regardless of whether man, woman, or child, who has excess wealth (over the ‘nisaab which is appx US$1,000.00) of their own, is liable to pay a 2.5% annual zakat of their nett excess wealth in Shariah.

 

Zakat is not determined from one’s earnings or profits, but rather on one’s net excess wealth which is left over after paying all their expenses, and it has been in their possession for a period of one calendar year. There is no zakah liable on the house one lives in, or the furniture and fixture one uses in their house, or the car one drives, etc.  But if one has property which one has bought as an investment, or spare vehicles other the one one drives, or jewelry, or any other excess asset…then zakah would be liable on these excess wealth and property.

 

Any asset, or wealth, or cash, or savings, which are left over after all of one’s expenses are paid, and that excess savings and wealth has been in their possession for one full calendar year is liable for payment of annual ‘zakat’ at 2.5% of its value.

 

Thus the basic formula to calculate zakah is as follows:

 

All Assets (except the house one lives in, vehicle one uses, etc.) minus all loans = Nett Excess Assets.  It is on the market value of these Nett Excess Assets upon which the annual zakah of 2.5% is due.

 

Your Question: IS ZAKAT FARZ ON STUDENTS? I DO WORK, AND I OWN A CAR, BUT I WORK TO PAY MY TUITION OFF. SO IS ZAKAT FARZ ON ME?

Zakah is not due on your earnings, nor on the car that you yourself drive, nor on your expenses, but rather on your Nett Excess Assets. 

 

Thus assuming that you have absolutely no other assets than the car you drive (which is exempt from zakah), and the earnings you earn from work all goes into paying your expenses (rent, tuition, food, clothing, etc.), and at the end of the year you are left with US$800.00; then you are not liable to pay any zakah for your Nett Worth is below the prescribed ‘nisaab’ of US$1,000.00.

 

But if after paying all your expenses, you are left with more than US$1,000.00 in the bank, and that amount has been in your possession for one full calendar year…only then would you be liable to pay 2.5% of that amount as your annual zakah for that year.

 

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

 

 
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