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 o Alaikum

I hope you are fine. I have three Questions:

1. I am a cancer patient and currently jobless for the last one and a half year. My health is not very good and I don’t think I would be able to do some job in future or atleast in near future. I have one small piece of land whose market value is Pakistani Rs. 805,000/- and about Rs. 500,000/- cash. That plot and cash is with me for the last one and a half year but I didn’t pay any Zakat on this because since I am jobless and there is no source of income and I don’t think I would be doing any job because of my health and I will use this money for my rest of the life (whatever that is) for living and medical treatment. I am also trying to start some sort of business, but my inability to work myself and finding honest and sincere people making it difficult to do so. Though I have started a small business as a sleeping partner recently about 3 months ago with a small amount of Rs. 230,000/- But it is still very early and I can’t predict whether I would be able to gain profit from that business or not. My question is in these circumstances where I don’t have any source of income and it seems I would not be able to generate some in future, should I also pay Zakat on this amount mentioned above i.e. 805,000/- and 500,000/- (Total 1305000/-).

2. My second question is if someone’s yearly earnings is less than what is7.5 Tolas gold (I mean for example if 7.5 tolas gold price is 150,000 in Pakistan and the person earns 145,000/-. Would he/she pay Zakat on his earnings or not. And the second question is if someone earns 145,000/- from some business and don’t pay Zakat because it is not Zakatable but his investment is over the amount prescribed for Zakat. In this case would he pay Zakat on his investment if not on his earnings.

3. Can Zakat be paid to Masque as donation.

Thanks

 

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Answer:

 

Payment of 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.

 

Every believer, regardless of whether man, woman, or child, who has excess wealth (over the ‘nisaab which is approximately 7.5 tolas (85grams) of gold or approximately US$2,550.00) 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 he 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.

 

Q-1: ……My question is in these circumstances where I don’t have any source of income and it seems I would not be able to generate some in future, should I also pay Zakat on this amount mentioned above i.e. 805,000/- and 500,000/- (Total 1305000/-).

Respected brother, because your total assets are above the prescribed ‘nisaab’, regardless of whether you derive any income from your assets, indeed you would be liable to pay zakah annually on your assets of PKR 1,305,000.00 at the rate of 2.50%.

 

We reiterate again that the zakah is not payable on one’s annual income but rather on one’s net excess assets which in your case is PKR 1,305,000.00.

 

Your Question: My second question is if someone’s yearly earnings is less than what is7.5 Tolas gold (I mean for example if 7.5 tolas gold price is 150,000 in Pakistan and the person earns 145,000/-. Would he/she pay Zakat on his earnings or not.  And the second question is if someone earns 145,000/- from some business and don’t pay Zakat because it is not Zakatable but his investment is over the amount prescribed for Zakat. In this case would he pay Zakat on his investment if not on his earnings.

Regardless of what one’s annuals earnings happen to be, zakah is due not on one’s annual earnings but on one’s net excess assets which have been in one’s possession for a period of one lunar calendar year.

 

If one possesses assets valued above the prescribed ‘nisaab’, one would be liable to pay zakah annually on their net excess assets.

 

Your Question: Can Zakat be paid to Masque as donation.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) specifically prohibited that ‘zakah’ dues be spent on building or maintaining a masjid.  One must use one’s pure non-zakah funds if one intends to build or maintain a masjid. 

 

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