Purpose: purification and growth
Zakat is taken from wealth to purify and uplift the giver, reinforcing the spiritual purpose of giving and the responsibility to share.
Rulings & evidence
Qur'an, Hadith, and fiqh perspectives
Browse the core sources and note where scholars differ. Each item links to credible references for deeper study.
Quick facts
Who pays?
Zakat is due on Muslims who possess nisab or more in zakatable assets for one lunar year.
Typical rate
For monetary assets, the standard rate is 2.5% of net zakatable wealth once conditions are met.
Minimum thresholds
Common nisab approximations are about 85g of gold or 595g of silver (derived from classical measures).
Recipients
The eight zakat categories
The Qur'an defines who can receive zakat. Use these categories when planning distribution.
The poor (fuqara)
The needy (masakin)
Zakat administrators
Those whose hearts are to be reconciled
Freeing captives / those in bondage
Those in debt
In the cause of Allah
The stranded traveler
Rulings & evidence
Source-backed guidance
Each section below includes references to primary texts or trusted scholarly resources.
Qur'anic foundations
quranCore verses establish zakat as a purifying obligation and define who may receive it.
Recipients: eight categories
The Qur'an lists eight categories for zakat distribution, including the poor, needy, debtors, and stranded travelers, guiding how funds are allocated.
Quality of giving
Believers are instructed to give from their wholesome earnings and produce, not defective or inferior goods.
Prophetic guidance (Hadith)
hadithHadith literature provides details on nisab thresholds, rates, and timing (hawl).
Nisab and rate for gold/silver
Gold reaches nisab at 20 dinars and silver at 200 dirhams; the due amount is 2.5% (5 of 200), establishing the standard rate for monetary assets.
Nisab floor for silver and crops
No zakat is due below the minimum thresholds, including five uqiyyah of silver and five wasq of crops.
Hawl (lunar year)
Zakat on wealth is due after a lunar year has passed while holding the nisab amount, which preserves consistency in timing.
What is typically zakatable
assetsA concise overview of common asset classes that are widely considered zakatable in contemporary rulings, with practical examples.
Monetary wealth
Cash, bank balances, trade inventory, and investment holdings are commonly included when calculating zakat; value them at current market rates.
Shares & equities (common contemporary approach)
If shares are purchased purely for resale, zakat is payable on the current market value. If purchased for dividends or mixed intent, many contemporary calculators apply zakat to the underlying assets; a commonly used proxy is 25% of market value.
Gold and silver holdings
Gold and silver are zakatable when they reach nisab, with jewelry treated differently among schools and often assessed by weight and purity.
Business inventory
Merchandise held for sale is generally subject to zakat at its market value once a lunar year passes.
Zakat al-fitr
zakat-fitrA separate obligatory charity at the end of Ramadan, typically paid before Eid prayer.
Timing and form
Zakat al-fitr is due before Eid prayer and was traditionally given as a measured staple food such as dates or barley.
Fiqh and differences of opinion
fiqhSchools of law differ on certain details. This section highlights common points of difference with references.
Zakat on personal gold/silver jewelry
Hanafi jurists generally require zakat on gold/silver jewelry if nisab is reached, while the majority of Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali jurists generally exempt jewelry worn for personal use.
Gold vs silver nisab for cash
Classical nisab values were equal in the Prophet's time; modern differences lead some scholars to prefer the standard that best benefits the poor or reflects local conditions.
Paying zakat al-fitr in cash
Hanafi jurists generally permit cash payment, while many Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali jurists prefer food staples unless there is a clear need or public interest.
Deducting liabilities
Some jurists allow deducting only short-term debts due within the year, while others consider broader liabilities; local scholarly councils may provide guidance.
Reference library
All citations used in this guide, curated for quick verification.
Qur'an 9:103Qur'an 9:60Qur'an 2:267Sunan Abi Dawud 1573Sahih al-Bukhari 1405Sunan Ibn Majah 1792Zakat Guide (NZ Zakat Foundation)IslamQA (trade goods)Sahih al-Bukhari 1503IslamQA (Hanafi vs majority view)IslamWeb (majority view with nuance)SeekersGuidance (Shafi'i view)SeekersGuidance (Hanafi answer on nisab standards)IslamQA (cash vs food discussion)SeekersGuidance (Hanafi position)IslamWeb (deducting debt from nisab)NZF: Who has to pay Zakat?