Question:

What do the scholars and experts of shari’ah say regarding zakat? Upon whom is zakat obligatory and who are its recipients?

Answer:

All perfect praise is for Allah ﷻ, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah ﷻ, and that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger.

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory upon that person who possess wealth equal to the nisab level. A person has complete ownership of the wealth and a whole lunar year has passed since having reached the nisab level. He is free from debt and the amount is above one’s primary necessities.

The nisab level for Gold (21 karat) is 85 grams. The value of gold will be calculated on the day the zakat is given. This is 2.5% of one’s wealth upon which zakat applies.

Eight categories of people have been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as rightful recipients of zakat: “Zakat is for the poor, the needy, its administrators, people whose hearts and minds are to be won, freeing the slaves, helping people in debt, to advance God’s cause, and for the needy traveller. This is a duty instructed by God, and God is the Knower, Wise.” (Surah al-Tawba:60)

Allah ﷻ knows best

This fatwa is written by Dr Hafiz Muhammad Munir al-Azhari