Distribution of Gold and Zakat
Hanafi Fiqh
Question: A mother owns more than the nisab amount of gold, but has been keeping many of the gold items with her daughters’ weddings/adulthood in mind. If she simply distributes the gold items amongst her daughters before their weddings, and thus none of the ladies of the house now own a nisab amount of gold, should she feel guilty in any way as now zakat is not due upon her?
Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,
I pray this finds you in the best of health and states.
This would be perfectly fine; she would not have to feel guilty in any way, as long as her intention is not to avoid paying zakat.
By distributing the gold in such a manner, she has gifted each daughter their respective gold such that they are now the owners of the gold, and the mother no longer owns the gold. Each daughter is fully entitled to do with her gold whatever she pleases, as it is her property alone.
Lastly, it must be kept in mind that the gold one owns must be added to one’s cash and other zakatable assets when determining whether or not one has nisab.
[Maydani, Lubab]
And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz
Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani
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