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:

My question is regarding ZAKAT, i m not well worsed, i m jobless now a days, also not belong to rich family, my wife has alot of GOLD items which she got in dowry from her parents,all items have the value apporximately more than 10,00,000/- i m not "sahib-e-hasiyat" to pay yearly zakat for the mentioned items while her father is running business he siad that he can bear the expense of yearly zakat. So can he pay Zakat instead of me(from the side of her daughter)? can he give zakat amount to her daughter and she can pay by her own hand as zakat? all items are the property of her.please briefly tell me all ups and downs of this. i will be hight obliged for you.

 

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Answer:

 

Can father pay zakah of daughter

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.

 

Your Question: So can he pay Zakat instead of me(from the side of her daughter)? can he give zakat amount to her daughter and she can pay by her own hand as zakat? all items are the property of her.

If the total nett worth of any believer, regardless of whether that wealth belongs to a man, woman, or child, 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 of 2.5% on their excess wealth which has been in her possession for a full calendar year.

 

If one’s total nett worth is less than the prescribed ‘nisaab’, then one does not have to pay any ‘zakaah’ on their wealth. Thus in principle, if the value of one’s excess wealth (regardless of whether the wealth belongs to a man, woman or child) is above the prescribed ‘nisaab’, then it is absolutely obligatory that one purify their wealth by paying the annul ‘zakah’ on their excess wealth after it has been in their possession for a period of one full calendar year. 

 

The primary responsibility of paying the zakah lies on the person who actually owns the wealth, thus in this case it is your wife who herself is responsible for making sure that the zakah for her jewelry is paid every year.  If the father of your wife wishes to pay the zakah for his daughter’s jewelry, there is absolutely no harm.

 

Regardless of whether one pays the zakah for the wealth they own themselves, or whether their father or husband or guardian chooses to pay the zakah for the wealth owned by them…..provided the annual zakah dues are paid on the excess wealth, one would have deemed to have fulfilled their obligatory duty unto their Lord Most High.

 

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