Who Must Pay Zakat?

You must meet all four before Zakat is due. Condition 1: You must be Muslim. Zakat is a pillar of Islam and applies only to Muslims. Non-Muslims are not required to pay it. Condition 2: You must be sane and have reached puberty. Children and those who are not mentally competent are not required to pay Zakat, though some scholars recommend paying it on their behalf if they own wealth. Condition 3: You must own wealth above the nisab threshold. Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth required before Zakat applies. It is based on the value of 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver. If your wealth is below this, Zakat is not due. Condition 4: You must have owned that wealth for one full lunar year (hawl). Zakat is not due on wealth you just received. You must hold it for 354 or 355 days before calculating what you owe. What Counts as Wealth?

Zakatable wealth includes: cash, savings, gold, silver, business inventory, shares, investments, and money owed to you that you expect to receive. It does not include your home (unless you are selling it), your car, furniture, or personal belongings. If you own a mix of these assets and the total value exceeds nisab for one full year, Zakat is due. You do not pay Zakat on each asset separately—you calculate your total qualifying wealth and then apply 2.5%. Who Is Exempt from Zakat?

If your wealth is below nisab, you are exempt. If you own wealth but have only had it for a few months, you are exempt until one year passes. If you are in severe debt that exceeds your wealth, many scholars say you are exempt. Those who are struggling financially should not pay Zakat. Islam does not ask you to give what you cannot afford. In fact, if you are in genuine need, you may be eligible to receive Zakat instead. info