Do I Pay Zakat Only on Money I’ve Had for over a Year?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

Do I pay zakat on money which is more more than the nisab but I have only had it for less than a year? Are my zakat calculations correct?

Answer

I pray you are well. 

Knowing When You Owe Zakat

You pay zakat if you have equal to or more than the nisab amount at a point and then you have  equal to or more than the nisab amount 12 lunar months later. This is provided you do not lose than amount and end up with only enough to cover your basic expenses during the year.

It is not a condition that you have a particular sum for more than a year. Having the nisab or more is sufficient. The end of one year starts the next year automatically. (Mawsili, al Ikhtiyar)

Paying Missed Zakat

You have been calculating zakat correctly over the years. You just need to see how much money you had when you owed zakat in 2015, and to pay the zakat on that amount. The same for 2017. If you are not exactly sure, a good guess will suffice.

It is a debt you owe to Allah, and ”the debt to Allah – Mighty and Majestic – has a better right to be paid.” (Ahmad)

May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History, he moved to Damascus in 2007, where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital. He was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.