Miscellaneous rules of zakat
The age of a zakat animal, why herds of different animals cannot be combined, and the option to pay zakat in cash or in kind.
A few more rules of zakat
- An animal given for zakat must be at least one full year old.If all the animals in the herd are under a year old, no zakat is due yet, even if the count is right. But if even one animal has turned a year old, zakat becomes due on the whole herd, and the biggest animal should be given. If an animal dies after turning a year old, the zakat is cancelled.
- You cannot add camels, cows and goats together to reach a nisab.If you have some of each but none of them alone reaches its own nisab, no zakat is due.
- There is no zakat on horses, donkeys or mules.Unless they are kept to be sold, in which case zakat on trade goods applies instead.
- Numbers between two nisab levels (like 31–39 or 41–49) add nothing extra.If an animal in that in-between range is lost, the zakat amount does not go down.
- You may pay zakat with the actual animal or item, or with its value in money or other goods like grain or cloth instead.
Zakat is only due on animals that are at least one full year old, and each kind is counted on its own: camels, cows and goats are never added together to reach a nisab. There is no zakat at all on horses, donkeys or mules, and the numbers between two nisab levels add nothing.
1234The zakat that is due can be paid either with the actual animal or item, or with its value in money or in other goods such as grain or cloth; both ways fulfil the duty.
1Miscellaneous rules of zakat
- Animals liable to zakat must be at least a full year old.If every animal in the herd is under a year, zakat is not obligatory even if the count is otherwise correct. If even one has completed a year, zakat becomes obligatory on the whole herd, and the largest animal is given. If an animal dies after completing a year, the zakat on it is cancelled.
- Camels, cows and goats cannot be combined to reach the nisab.If someone owns some of each but each type is below its own nisab, the animals are not combined and zakat is not due.
- There is no zakat on horses, donkeys or mules.If these animals are kept for trade, zakat is paid on their price instead.
- Numbers between two nisab levels (such as 31–39 or 41–49) are exempt from zakat.If an amount in this exempt range is destroyed, there is no reduction in the zakat owed.
- The person giving zakat may give the actual item due, or its equivalent value in money or in other goods such as grain or cloth.
Zakat is obligatory only on animals that have completed a full year of age, and each kind is counted separately: camels, cows and goats cannot be combined to reach the nisab. Horses, donkeys and mules carry no zakat, as the Prophet ﷺ exempted them, and any number falling between two nisab levels is exempt.
1234The obligation of zakat is discharged either by giving the actual item due or by giving its equivalent value in money or in other goods such as grain or cloth, as Mu'adh accepted garments from the people of Yemen in place of grain.
1Miscellaneous rules of zakāh
- Animals on which zakāh is obligatory must have completed at least a full year of age.Where every animal in the herd is under a year old, zakāh does not become obligatory even where the count itself is otherwise sufficient. Where even one has completed a year, zakāh becomes obligatory on the whole herd, and the largest animal is given as zakāh. Should an animal die after completing a year, the zakāh due on it is cancelled.
- Camels, cows and goats are not aggregated to reach the nisab.Where each species falls short of its own nisab individually, the species are not combined, and zakāh is not due.
- Horses, donkeys and mules carry no zakāh.Where such animals are held for trade, zakāh is paid on their value instead, under the ruling for trade goods.
- Any amount falling between two nisab levels (such as 31–39 or 41–49) is exempt from zakāh.The destruction of an amount within such an exempt range causes no reduction in the zakāh otherwise due.
- The payer has the option to give the zakāh item itself, or its equivalent value in cash or in other goods such as grain or cloth.
Zakah is obligatory only on animals that have completed a full year of age, and each kind is reckoned on its own: camels, cows and goats are not aggregated to reach the nisab. Horses, donkeys and mules carry no zakah, the Prophet ﷺ having exempted horses, and the waqs between two nisab levels is exempt.
1234The obligation of zakah is discharged either by giving the zakah item itself or by giving its equivalent value in cash or in other goods such as grain or cloth, the payer having the choice; Mu'adh accepted garments from the people of Yemen in place of barley and wheat.
1This is the English translation of Nisab Ahle Khidmaat Sharia, exactly as the book has it, for the passages this page was written from. About 210 words. Switch back to Guide for the rewritten version.
Rulings of Zakat 8. Miscellaneous Rules of Zakat
1. For animals on which Zakat is obligatory, their age must be at least one full year. If all the animals are less than one year old [Even if they are in the correct amount, a full year should pass.], Zakat will not be obligatory. However, if even one of them has completed one year, Zakat will be obligatory on all of them, and the largest animal should be given as Zakat. If an animal dies after completing a year, the Zakat will be canceled.
2. If someone possesses camels, cows, and goats, but each type is below the Nisab (minimum amount for Zakat), the animals cannot be combined to reach the Nisab, and Zakat will not be due.
3. Zakat is not obligatory on horses, donkeys, or mules. However, if these animals are kept for trade, then Zakat will be paid based on their price.
4. Any amount between two Nisab values (e.g., between 31 and 39, or 41 and 49) is exempt from Zakat. If such an amount is destroyed, there will be no reduction in the Zakat amount.
5. The person giving Zakat has the option to either give the actual item of Zakat or its equivalent in money or other goods such as grain or cloth.
Related
- Zakat on pasturing animals (saimah) What makes an animal a pasturing animal (saimah), the minimum threshold (nisab) and rates for camels, cows and goats, and the rules that apply across all three.
- Zakat on trade goods How the minimum threshold (nisab) and value of stock-in-trade are worked out, and when profit and rented items are or are not liable to zakat.
- The ruling on zakat, and when it becomes obligatory Who zakat is obligatory on, what denying it means, and the eight conditions that must all be met before zakat is due.
- Zakat on gold and silver The minimum threshold (nisab) and rate for gold and silver, what happens above it, and the rules for mixed metals, currency and combined holdings.