What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: I became an owner of the threshold on the 25th of Rajab, and at that time I had £10,000. I had this until the 24th of Rajab the following year; I had £2000 remaining on the 24th of Rajab, so will Zakāh be wājib on the £10,000 or £2000. Likewise, if someone had £10,000 on the 15th of Rajab, then a total of £12,000, so which amount will Zakāh be on? Please can you shed some light.
Questioner: Saif from UK
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
In the first case, Zakāh will be wājib on the amount of £2000, because there is no Zakāh upon any amount which has been used before the year’s actual completion; it is a condition for Zakāh that a full [lunar] year passes.
Just as it stated in Tanwīr al-Absār ma’ Durr Mukhtār that,
“وَشَرْطُهُ أَيْ شَرْطُ افْتِرَاضِ أَدَائِهَا حَوَلَانُ الْحَوْلِ”
“It is a condition for Zakāh being Fard that a complete [lunar] year passes.”
[Tanwīr al-Absār ma’ Durr Mukhtār, vol 2, pg 267]
Moreover, ‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Ābidīn Shāmī states regarding this in Radd al-Muhtār,
“وَالشَّرْطُ تَمَامُ النِّصَابِ فِي طَرَفَيْ الْحَوْلِ”
“It is a condition that the threshold be complete at the limit of both parts (start & end) of the [lunar] year.”
[Durr Mukhtār ma’ Radd al-Muhtār, vol 2, pg 267]
Similarly, in the second case, such person will give Zakāh on the amount of £12,000, because if any wealth of that very same category is attained, even if only a minute beforehand, then this wealth (which was just acquired) will also be mixed with the previous wealth, and Zakāh will be wājib on the full amount.
Just as it is stated in Bahār-e-Sharī’at that if a person is the owner of the threshold (i.e. liable for Zakāh), and in the middle of the year, he acquired some of the same type (of commodity), then the year for the new wealth is not counted as a separate year, but the end of the year of the initial wealth (or cash, etc.) is the same year ending for this as well, even if it was acquired a minute before the year ended.
And it does not matter whether this asset was attained by means of the same initial commodity, or whether it was acquired by way of inheritance, or as a gift, or by way of some other permissible means. However, if it is of a different type, for example, initially, he had camels and now he acquired goats, then he will count a new year for that.
[Bahār-e-Sharī’at, vol 1, part 5, pg 884]
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadiri
Translated by Haider Ali
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0687] If my wealth increases or decreases a few days before my Zakah date, on which amount do I calculate the Zakah?
