How Do I Calculate My Zakat on the Stock of Cars Stuck Due to Lockdown?

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question

I am a car salesman. I have cars to the value of R200000 in stock at the moment. Due to the current lockdown period, I cannot sell any of my stock. I only have R13000 in my bank account, and that is before I have to pay my expenses of R13000. My zakat date is 15 Ramadan 1441; what would be the way forward to pay my zakat?

Answer

I pray you are well.

Calculate how much zakat you owe on your stock and pay it when you have the money to do so. It is permissible to delay the payment of zakat for up to a year without it being sinful. [Mawsili, al-Ikhtiyar]

Right now, you can take care of your immediate expenses.

Ask Allah for help and facilitation. It might seem difficult but pay it as soon as you can. “No wealth was ever diminished by charity.” [Muslim]

Allah always replaces what you spend.

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 and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.