What is included in zakat? Is it your savings? and what about jewerly. I hear reference to gold - but what about diamonds and other precious gems?
What about property that you don’t live in? and is it based on the value now or when you bought it.
Thanks
JAK
Re: How is zakat calculated?
No zakat on property.
No zakat on diamonds and other gemstones.
Only on gold and silver.
I think you have to pay on savings as well.
I usually weigh my jewlery and we use an online zakat calculator to come up with the amount.
Re: How is zakat calculated?
:salam2:
All things belongs to Almighty Allah, and wealth is therefore held by human being in trust. The original meaning of the word ‘Zakat’ is both ‘purification’ and ‘growth’. Giving zakat means ‘giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people.’ The precentage due on gold, silver, and cash that have reached the amount of about 595 grams of silver and kept for one lunar year is 2.5%. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in need, and, like pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
A person may also give as much as he or she pleases as voluntary alms or charity.
Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat)
Narrated Abu Said: Allah’s Apostle 
said, “No Zakat is due on property mounting to less than five Uqiyas (of silver), and no Zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no Zakat on less than five Wasqs.” (A Wasqs equals 60 Sa’s) & (1 Sa=3 K gms App.) [Sahih Bukhari 487]
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Seven people will be shaded by Allah under His shade on the day when there will be no shade except His. They are:
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri : Allah’s Apostle said, “There is no Zakat on less than five camels and also there is no Zakat on less than five Awaq (of silver). (5 Awaq = 22 Fransa Riyals of Yamen or 200 Dirhams.) And there is no Zakat on less than five Awsuq. (A special measure of food-grains, and one Wasq equals 60 Sa’s.) (For gold 20, Dinars i.e. equal to 12 Guinea English. No Zakat for less than 12 Guinea (English) of gold or for silver less than 22 Fransa Riyals of Yamen.) [Sahih Bukhari 526]
Obligatory Charity Tax (Zakat) after Ramadhan (Zikat-ul-Fitr)
Narrated Ibn Umar: Allah’s Apostle enjoined the payment of one Sa’ of dates or one Sa’ of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the ‘Eid prayer. (One Sa’ = 3 Kilograms approx**.)[Sahih Bukhari - 579]**
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: Allah’s Apostle made it incumbent on all the slave or free Muslims, male or female, to pay one Sa’ of dates or barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr.[Sahih Bukhari - 580]
Narrated Nafi’: Ibn ‘Umar said, "The Prophet made incumbent on every male or female, free man or slave, the payment of one Sa’ of dates or barley as Sadaqat-ul-Fitr (or said Sadaqa-Ramadan).” The people then substituted half Sa’ of wheat for that. Ibn 'Umar used to give dates (as Sadaqat-ul-Fitr). Once there was scarcity of dates in Medina and Ibn 'Umar gave barley. 'And Ibn 'Umar used to give Sadaqat-ul-Fitr for every young and old person. He even used to give on behalf of my children. Ibn 'Umar used to give Sadaqatul-Fitr to those who had been officially appointed for its collection. People used to give Sadaqat-ul-Fitr (even) a day or two before the 'Id**.[Sahih Bukhari - 587] **
What is the difference between Zakat-al-Fitr and Zakat?
The two are different and both are obligatory.
While Zakat-al-Fitr/Sadaqa-ul-Fitr is a fixed amount per person, Zakat is based on 2.5% of your wealth and is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. Zakat can be paid any time of the year (though people prefer paying in Ramadhan).
Over time, it has become a practice among the Muslims to offer their Zakat in the month of Ramadan. This is generally done to increase one’s blessings. We should be clear in our minds that Zakat is not tied in with the month of Ramadan. An individual can bring forward his Zakat (Zakah) due date (notice: not push back), in order to take advantage of the multifold blessings of Ramadan. In fact, to make it easy on the recipients whose needs have to be met, one might chose Ramadan for the extra Sadaqa he gives out.
Zakat is not simply the calculation of your dues on your Gold and Silver ornaments. Its scope and implication is wide-ranging. As such, it requires us to be diligent and aware of various details relating to our context and various forms of wealth. At the minimum, a Mufti, learned scholar, should be consulted as they are qualified Mufti and Faqih.
Re: How is zakat calculated?
Can someone explain the reasoning that zakat is only on** silver and gold?**
Re: How is zakat calculated?
^
B'coz its mention in Qur'an. Allah SWT! said in Surah Al Tauba [9:35, 36]:
[quote]
O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly and avert [them] from the way of Allah . And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah - give them tidings of a painful punishment.
[RIGHT]*مومنو! (اہل کتاب کے) بہت سے عالم اور مشائخ لوگوں کا مال ناحق کھاتے اور (ان کو) راہ خدا سے روکتے ہیں۔ اور جو لوگ سونا اور چاندی جمع کرتے ہیں اور اس کو خدا کے رستے میں خرچ نہیں کرتے۔ ان کو اس دن عذاب الیم کی خبر سنادو *[/RIGHT]
[/quote]
Bil-Batili mean in falsehood, i.e., by false pretences, or in false or vain things. This was strikingly exemplified in the history of Mediaeval Europe, though the disease is apt to attack all peoples and organisations at tall times. Preiests got rich by issuing indulgeneces and dispensations; they made their office a stepping-stone to wordly power and possessions. Even the Monastic Ordders, which took vows of poverty from individuals, grew rich with corporate property, untill their wealth became a scandal, even among their own nations.
Misuse of wealth, poverty, and resources is frequently condemned, and in three ways: (1) do not acquire anything wrongfully or on false pretences; (2) do not hoard or bury or amass wealth for its own sake but use it freely for good, whether for yourself or for your neighbours; and (3) be particularly careful not to waste it for idle purposes, but only so that it may fructify for the good of the people.
In the next ayat explained how 'punishments' (azaab) will be on those pplz who don't give zakat.
In Islam every rich person who has a saving of more than the nesaab level, more than the minimum wealth, that is seven and a half tola of gold. He should give 2.5% of that saving every lunar year, in charity -and the criteria to do the charity is given in Surah Tauba Ch. 9, Verse 60, which says…
"‘It can be given to the fukra, to the poor people, to the masakeen who are needy, whose heart is bent towards Islam, to those who are in debt, those in freeing of slave, a way farer who gets scanted in a foreign land, and those who spend in the way of Allah(SWT)’."
These are 8 categories given in Surah Tauba, Ch.9,V 60, to whom this Zakat can be given. It is compulsory for every rich Muslim, who has saving of more than the nisaab level, he should give 2.5% of that saving, every lunar year, in charity. That is why the Holy Qur’an says, in Surah Hashr, in Ch. 59, Verse 7, that…
*‘It prevents the wealth from circulating among the rich -is that, that the rich will not become more richer’. *
It prevents the wealth from circulating amongst the rich. The Holy Qur’an says in Surah Taubah, Ch. 9 Verse 34, that… (written above)
*‘Those who bury gold and silver, and spend it not in the way of Allah (SWT), do not give charity, announce to them a grievous penalty. That on the day of Judgement, heat will be produced from this wealth, from fire of hell, and they will be branded on their fore heads, on their flanks, and on their back. And it will be told to them, that you hoarded the wealth- now have a taste of your wealth’. *
Hoarding of wealth, is prohibited in the Holy Qur’an -You cannot hoard wealth.
*"Nisab". Nisab of different kinds of property in possession is given below *
Gold, Silver and Currency
Gold: 85 gms in excess of what they use : Zakah due is 2.5 %
Silver: 595 gms in excess of what they use : Zakah due is 2.5%
Money: The value of 85 gms of Gold or 595gms Silver : Zakah is 2.5
Livestock
Camel : If u have 5 camels : Zakah due is a sheep
Cattle : The minimum Nisab is 30 cows, bulls or buffaloes : Zakah is one year old calf.
Sheep and goat : The minimum Nisab is 40 sheep and goats : Zakah due is a sheep.
Agricultural products : Zakah is due 10% on what is irrigated by natural means and 5 % if it is irrigated by ways which require manual labour or machinery or capital.