To What Extent Can I Deduct My Upcoming Expenses Before Paying My Zakat?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

I have zakat due from my retirement. Can I deduct upcoming expense for the next month only or should I deduct the entire rest of the Islamic calendar such as home payments, foods, utilities, etc?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

You can deduct your known upcoming expenses for the next month, such as a recurring bill, yet not beyond that. The exception is with a long term debt, namely, that which is due in over a year. In such a case, you may generally deduct one lunar year’s worth of payments.

But it is not necessary nor specifically recommended to deduct your expenses. Hence if it won’t cause you any reasonable difficulty, it is superior to pay without every deduction as that will be more beneficial to the poor.

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.