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:

i was doing job and earning a handsome amount of money before marriage. At the time of marriage my inlaws and my to be husband assured me that he will allow me to continue my job after marriage. After marriage i went to another country and tried to search another job but my husband asked me to join a job after having 3 or 4 kids. Now i am jobless and on the other hand i do not take any money from my husband for my personal spendings. I had got 2 jewellery sets and some bangles, one form my mother side and one as a gift from my husband. Now i want to give zakat on this jewellery. But my husband says that it is entirely wives responsibility to pay zakat.

 

Now i am much worried about it as i am not taking any cash money from my husband neither i am having a job. Please guide me in this matter. My husband is not a poor man he is earning a handsome amount of money and he can easily pay zakat on this jewellery. 

 

(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:

 

Wife responsible for her zakah

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: Now i want to give zakat on this jewellery. But my husband says that it is entirely wives responsibility to pay zakat.

The jewelry sets and the bangles given to you by your mother and the jewelry given to you as a gift by your husband are your property, and if the market value of your property are more than the prescribed ‘nisaab’ (85 grams of gold or appr value US$2,100.00), you indeed are liable and responsible to pay the ‘zakah’ on your property.

 

Respected sister, if your husband (or anyone else) wishes to fulfill your ‘zakah’ dues, he is well within his rights to do so….but if for any reason your husband refuses to fulfill your ‘zakah’ dues, it is you who would be held responsible and accountable in the Presence of your Lord for paying the annual ‘zakah’ on the property that belongs to you.

 

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) (to distribute to the poor as they will).’

 

In the event that your husband (or your father, brother, loved one, etc.) refuses to fulfill the annual ‘zakah’ dues for the property that belongs to you, and you don’t have the necessary cash to fulfill the ‘zakah’ yourself….you would be required to sell a portion of your property and fulfill your obligatory duty of ‘zakah’ unto your Lord, for the final responsibility of fulfilling the ‘zakah’ in Shariah lies on the person who actually owns the property.

 

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