النص المفهرس

A river-land which is irrigated by rains
Question
A river-land [normally irrigated by river water] was irrigated by rains
for several years and there was no need to draw water from the river
to irrigate it. Will the zakah be 'ushr or half 'ushr?
Answer
In this case 'ushr will be wajib.
Shāmī:
ويجب أي العشر في مسقى سماء أو سيح كنهر ... قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم:
"ما سقت السماء ففيه العشر". (الدر المختار مع الشامى: ٢٨، ٣٢٥، باب العشر،
سعيد)
Jawahir al-Fiqh:
If a land was irrigated partly by rain and partly from a well, etc.
consideration will be given to what was more. If the majority of the
irrigation was through rain water, 'ushr will be wajib.1
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
'Ushr in South Africa, Australia, etc.
Question
Is 'ushr wajib in countries like South Africa and Australia?
Answer
Those countries in which Muslims are living freely as though they are
in a Muslim country, and they have farm lands, then it will be wajib on
them to pay 'ushr.
This is gauged from the following text of al-Mabsüt:
أرأيت قوماً من أبل الحرب أسلموا على داريم أتكون أرضهم من أرض العشر؟
قال: نعم
1 Jawāhir al-Fiqh, vol. 2, p. 280; Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, vol. 9, p. 435; Imdād al-
Fatāwā, vol. 2, p. 60.
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In the same way, when agricultural lands in South Africa come into the
ownership of Muslims, 'ushr or half of 'ushr will have to be paid.
If a Muslim purchases the land from a non-Muslim, he will still have to
give 'ushr as zakāh - as though it had come into his possession from
the beginning. This is because this land was neither 'ushrī nor kharajī
in the beginning. There is no system of kharaj there, as stated by
Hadrat Thanwī rahimahullāh.
Al-Mabsut presents the scenario of a person who enters a Dar al-Harb
and receives some land in the mountains. There is no 'ushr on that
land. This is a separate issue. He did not do any farming in the
mountains. Rather, he received asylum in that country and received a
piece of land.
Al-Hidāyah:
ومن دخل دار الحرب بأمان فوجد في دار بعضهم ركازاً رده عليهم ... وإن وجده
في الصحراء فهو لم لأنه ليس في يد أحد على الخصوص فلا يعد غدراً ولا
شيء فيه. (الهداية: ١٢٠٠، باب فى المعادن والركاز. وكذا فى المبسوط: ٢٢/١٥، باب
المعادن، ادارة القرآن)
Here there is no one fifth, etc. because it does not fall under the
classification of booty.
Kitāb al-Kharāj:
قال أبو يوسف: فأما ما سألت عنه يا أمير المؤمنين من حد أرض العشر من
حد أرض الخراج فكل أرض أسلم أبلها عليها وبي من أرض العرب أو أرض
العجم فهي لهم وبي أرض العشر، بمنزلة المدينة حين أسلم عليها أبلها
وبمنزلة اليمن، وكذلك كل من لا تقبل من الجزية ولا يقبل منه إلا الإسلام
أو القتل ومن عبدة الأوثان من العرب فأرضهم أرض عشر، وإن ظهر عليها
الإمام لأن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قد ظهر على أرضين من أرض
العرب وتركها فهي أرض عشر حتى الساعة، وأيما دار من دور الأعاجم قد
ظهر عليها الإمام وتركها في أيدي أبلها فهي أرض خراج، وإن قسمها بين
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الذين غنموبا فهي أرض عشر. (كتاب الخراج: ٦٩، فصل حد أرض العشر من
أرض الخراج، ادارة القرآن)
Also refer to:
Shāmī, vol. 4, p. 178; Fatāwā Qādī Khān, vol. 1, p. 270; Jawāhir al-Fiqh, vol.
2, p. 281.
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Grass which grows on its own
Question
A person has land on which grass grows on its own. Is there 'ushr on
it?
Answer
There is no 'ushr on grass which grows on its own. If a person has
made grass the object of his business and has that land specifically for
that purpose, 'ushr will be wajib.
Fatāwā Qādī Khăn:
ولا يجب العشر في التبن ولا في الحطب والحشيش. (فتاوى قاضى خان: ١٩٧٦،
فصل فى العشر)
Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
فلا عشر في الحطب والحشيش والقصب. (الفتاوى الهندية: ١٨٦)
Al-Hidāyah:
قال أبو حنيفة فى قليل ما أخرجته الأراضي وكثيره العشر سواء سقي سيحاً أو
سقته السماء إلا القصب والحطب والحشيش. (الهداية: ١٢٠١)
Aham Fiqhī Faysle:
'Ushr is wajib on a land's grass, trees, etc. if the purpose is to increase
the produce of that land. This is the same as planting crops for an
income. 'Ushr will therefore be wajib on all nutritional classes, such as
grains, fruits, flowers, etc. As for grass and trees which grow on their
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own, and there is no intention to earn an income from them, there is
no 'ushr on them.1
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Waqf land
Question
Is 'ushr obligatory on waqf land?
Answer
'Ushr is obligatory on the produce of land which is waqf.
Jadīd Fiqhī Mabāhith:
'Ushr is wajib on the produce of waqf lands because the general nature
of the Qur'an verses and Ahadith on the subject of 'ushr include waqf
lands as well. Ownership is not a prerequisite for the obligation of
'ushr, but ownership of the produce is a prerequisite. The causes for
the obligation of 'ushr are: the land must have growth, and produce
must be acquired from it. These two causes are found in waqf lands as
well. Therefore, 'ushr will be wajib on them. 'Allamah Kāsānī
rahimahullāh writes:
وكذا ملك الأرض ليس بشرط لوجوب العشر وإنما الشرط ملك الخارج
فيجب في الأراضي التي لا ملك لها وهي الأراضي الموقوفة لعموم قوله تعالى:
"ومما أخرجنا لكم من الأرض وآتوا حقه يوم حصاده." بدائع الصنائع: ٢٥٦
Imdād al-Ahkām:
'Ushr is obligatory even on a waqf which is attached to a masjid.
قال في العالمكيرية: وكذا ملك الأرض ليس بشرط للوجوب لوجوبه في
الأراضي الموقوفة. الفتاوى الهندية: ١١٩١.
1 Aham Fighī Faysle of Hadrat Qādī Mujahid al-Islam Qāsmī Sahib, p. 62.
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Fatāwā Qādī Khăn:
ويجب العشر في الأراضي الموقوفة وأرض الصبيان والمجانين إن كانت عشرية
وإن كانت خراجة ففيها الخراج. (الفتاوى القاضى خان: ١٧٧٦ على هامش
الهندية)
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
ويجب مع الدين وفي أرض صغير ومجنون ومكاتب ومأذون ووقف ... وفي
الشامي: إن ملك الأرض ليس بشرط لوجوب العشر وإنما الشرط ملك
الخارج، لأنه يجب في الخارج لا في الأرض، فكان ملكه لها وعدمه سواء،
بدائع. (الدر المختار مع الشامى: ٢٣٢٦، باب العشر، سعيد)
Badā'i' as-Sanā'i':
فيجب في الأراضي التي لا ملك لها وبي أراضي الموقوفة لعموم قوله تعالى: يا
أيها الذين آمنوا أنفقوا من طيبات ما كسبتم ومما أخرجنا لكم من الأرض
وقوله عز وجل: وأتوا حقه يوم حصاده، وقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما
سقته السماء ففيه العشر وما سقي بغرب أو دالية ففيه نصف العشر ولأن
العشر يجب في الخارج لا في الأرض فكان ملک الأرض وعدمه بمنزلة واحد.
(بدائع الصنائع: ٢٥٦، سعيد. والفتاوى الهندية: ١٨٥)
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
Fruit-bearing trees at home
Question
A person has fruit-bearing trees in the yard of his house. Is 'ushr
obligatory on the fruit which is produced by these trees?
Answer
'Ushr is not wajib in this case.
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Al-Fatāwā al-Khānīyyah:
رجل في داره شجرة مثمرة لا عشر فيه وإن كانت البلدة عشرية بخلاف ما إذا
كانت في الأراضي. (الفتاوى الخانية على هامش الهندية: ١٢٧٧)
Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
ولو كان في دار رجل شجرة مثمرة لا عشر فيها كذا شرح المجمع لا بن الملک.
(الفتاوى الهندية: ١٨٦)
Jadīd Fiqhī Mabāhith:
There is no 'ushr on the vegetables which are grown in the yard of
one's house because they are generally not planted for trade purposes.
Furthermore, the land on which a person lives is not an 'ushr land.
This is why there is no 'ushr on the vegetables and fruits which are
produced by such a land.1
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Land purchased for resale
Question
A person bought a piece of land for trade [for resale] and does farming
there because it has not been sold as yet. Is there 'ushr on that
produce?
Answer
'Ushr is wajib because produce is a prerequisite for 'ushr irrespective
of whether the land is for trade, rental or waqf.
Badā'i' as-Sanā'i':
وكذا ملك الأرض ليس بشرط لوجوب العشر وإنما الشرط ملك الخارج
فيجب في الأراضي التي لا ملك لها وبي أراضي الموقوفة لعموم قوله تعالى: "يا
أيها الذين آمنوا أنفقوا من طيبات ما كسبتم ومما أخرجنا لكم من الأرض"،
وقوله عز وجل: "وأتوا حقه يوم حصاده"، وقول النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ما
سقته السماء ففيه العشر وما سقي بغرب أو دالية ففيه نصف العشر. ولأن
1 Jadīd Fiqhī Mabāhith, vol. 9, p. 80.
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العشر يجب في الخارج لا في الأرض فكان ملک الأرض وعدمه بمنزلة واحد.
(بدائع الصنائع: ٢٤٦، سعيد. والفتاوى الهندية: ٨٥(١)
وللمزيد أنظر: الفتاوى الهندية: ٨٥ ١. وحاشية الطحطاوى على الدر: ١٤١٩.
وجوابر الفقه: ٢٢٧٧. وفتاوى محموديه: ٣٨٪٩، مبوب ومرتب.
Allāh ta ālā knows best.
Honey bees
Question
Some people breed honey bees for which they construct special hives.
They have to do a lot of work for the upkeep of these hives. Is there
'ushr on the honey produced by such bees?
Answer
'Ushr is obligatory on such honey. The reasoning behind the obligation
is that the bees consume the pollen of flowers and fruits, which are -
by and large - planted. There is 'ushr on the flowers and fruits which
are planted [and on the honey which is produced from them], and they
are preserved [through the bees].
Al-Bahr ar-Rā'iq:
قوله يجب في عسل أرض العشر ومسقى سماء وسيح بلا شرط نصاب وبقاء
إلا الحطب والقصب والحشيش أي يجب العشر فيما ذكر أما في العسل
فللحديث: في العسل العشر. ولأن النحل يتناول من الأنوار والثمار وفيهما
العشر فكذا فيما يتولد منهما. (البحر الرائق: ٢٢٣٧، باب العشر، كوئثر، وكذا
فى الشامى: ٢٣٢٥، سعيد، والمبسوط: ٢٢١٦، ادارة القرآن)
Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
ويجب العشر في العسل إذا كان في أرض العشر. (الفتاوى الهندية: ١٧٨٦، وكذا
فى فتاوى قاضيخان: ١٢٧٦)
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
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The husk of wheat
Question
Is there 'ushr on the husk of wheat?
Answer
If the wheat is harvested after the formation of the grain and ripening
of it, 'ushr is not wajib on its husk. This is the normal time when it is
harvested. However, if it is cut before the grain is formed and ripe,
'ushr will be wajib because the objective is the husk.
Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
ولا عشر فيما هو تابع للأرض كالنخل والأشجار وكل ما يخرج من الشجرة
كالصمغ والقطران لأنه لا يقصد به الاستغلال كذا في البحر الرائق، ولا يجب
في البزور التي لا تصلح إلا للمزارعة والتداوي كبزر البطيخ. (الفتاوى
الهندية: ١٧٨٦، فى زكاة الزرع)
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
وتسميته زكاة مجازاً إلا فيما لا يقصد به استغلال الأرض نحو حطب وقصب
فارسي وحشيش وتبن وسعف وصمغ وقطران وغيره. (الدر المختار: ٢٣٢٧)
Allāh ta ālā knows best.
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THE PAYMENT OF ZAKĀH
When a poor person is given zakah with a cheque
Question
A person gave a zakāh cheque to a poor person. He will obtain the cash
by cashing the cheque at a bank, but will only receive the money after
a few days. Has the obligation of zakah been fulfilled at the time of
giving the cheque to the poor person or at the time when he receives
the money from the bank?
Answer
When the poor person receives the cheque, it is synonymous to taking
possession of the amount. The zakah will therefore be fulfilled once he
receives the cheque.
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
والتمكن من القبض كالقبض فلو وهب لرجل ثياباً في صندوق مقفل ودفع
إليه الصندوق لم يكن قبضاً لعدم تمكنه من القبض وإن مفتوحاً كان قبضاً
لتمكنه من فإنه كالتخلية في البيع. اختيار. (الدر المختار: ٩٠٪٥، كتاب الهبة،
سعيد)
Al-Bahr ar-Rā'iq:
ولو وهب لرجل ثياباً في صندوق مقفل ودفع إليه الصندوق لم يكن قبضاً
وإن كان الصندوق مفتوحاً كان قبضاً لأنه يمكن القبض كذا في المحيط.
(البحر الرائق: ٧٢٨٦، كتاب الهبة، كوئته. والمحيط البربانى: ٦٩ ٧، الفصل
الثانى فيما يجوز فى الهبة وما لا يجوز، مكتبه رشيديه)
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Paying zakāh with cash notes
Question
Is zakāh fulfilled when paid with cash notes? Some people say that as
long as the notes are not exchanged for gold or silver, zakah will not
be fulfilled. Is this correct?
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Answer
There were some differences among the 'ulama' of the past. Hadrat
Maulānā Ashraf 'Alī Thanwī rahimahullah, Hadrat Muftī Muhammad
Shafi rahimahullah and many others were of the view that a note is
merely a promissory note, whose status is that of an acknowledgement
of a debt.
However, at present, there is virtual unanimity that a note in itself is
an item of value. In other words, a note is in itself wealth or money;
and not just a promissory note. Therefore, zakah is obligatory on it if it
is equal to nisab. And if zakāh is paid with it, it will be fulfilled. The
moment a poor person is made its owner, zakah will be fulfilled.
Wahbah Zuhaylī, a contemporary scholar writes:
والحق وجوب الزكاة فيها (الأوراق النقدية) لأنها أصبحت بى أثمان الأشياء،
وامتنع التعامل بالذب. (الفقه الاسلامى وادلته: ٢٧٧٢، زكاة الأوراق النقدية،
دار الفكر)
An article on a similar subject has been published in the monthly
periodical, al-'Asr, from Peshawar. The following is stated in it:
A note has become - through constant usage - an item of value in
itself. Therefore, there is no doubt whatsoever as regards the payment
of zakah through notes. In fact, the fulfilment of zakah will be
considered immediate. This is the strong view.
In today's times, paper currencies have become common money. This
is the reality. It is through them that exchanges take place, and the
power of buying is acquired. This is an accepted fact. Apart from this,
paper currencies have no status apart from being paper.1
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Paying zakāh via a bank
Question
People in Pakistan deposit their money in banks. The government rule
is to deduct zakah from the money that is deposited. Those who
deposit their monies are aware of this rule. In fact, it is most probably
1 The monthly, al-'Asr, Jāmi'ah 'Uthmānīyyah, Peshawar, pp. 30-31, September
2007/Sha ban 1428 A.H.
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stated in the application form when opening a bank account. Is zakāh
fulfilled when it is deducted in this way?
Some scholars say that the zakah is not fulfilled. They present the
following objections:
1. The amount is in the ownership of the bank and not in the
ownership of the owner.
2. The bank has actually deducted an amount from the interest.
For example, the interest rate is 71/2 %, and in its place the bank
gives 5% to the owner. The deduction is therefore from the
interest and not from the zakāh.
What is your view on this issue?
Answer
(1) A certain text from al-Hidāyah sheds light on this issue. A person
took a loan of R1 000 from another person. The lender (creditor) said
to the borrower (debtor): "Buy an unspecified slave with this R1 000."
The debtor bought the slave, but before he could be handed over to
the creditor, the slave died while he was with the debtor. He was thus
destroyed from the wealth of the debtor. If the creditor had taken
possession of the slave and then he died, it means he was destroyed
from the wealth of the creditor. This is the ruling according to Imam
Abū Hanīfah rahimahullāh. According to Sāhibayn, in both situations
the slave was destroyed from the wealth of the creditor (in other
words, the debtor will be a representative for possession - wakil bi al-
qabd - on behalf of the creditor. And when a representative takes
possession, it is as if the one who he is representing has taken
possession). A few lines further, the author of al-Hidayah states: On the
other hand, if the creditor instructs the debtor to give in charity (then
the charity will be given from the wealth of the creditor). This is
because he gave the charity for Allah's sake and Allāh ta'ālā is known
[specific, as opposed to an unspecified slave].
Now if we apply the present question to the above scenario, when a
person deposits money into a bank, it is as though he happily and
eagerly said: "You must pay my zakah on my behalf." When the bank
pays his zakāh in this way, it will be correct and the zakah will be
fulfilled. The poor person [who is receiving the zakah] will be the wakil
bi al-qabd who will take possession of the amount on behalf of Allah
ta'ala, and will then take possession of it for himself. It is as though the
poor person is collecting the zakah from the original owner. Thus, the
bank paying the zakah is akin to the original owner paying it.
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The text of al-Hidayah reads as follows:
ومن لم على آخر ألف دريم فأمره أن يشتري بها عبداً بغير عينه فاشتراه،
فمات في يده قبل أن يقبض الآمر مات من مال المشتري، وإن قبض الآمر فهو
له، وبذا عند أبي حنيفة، وقالا: بولازم للآمر إذا قبض المأمور ... بخلاف ما
إذا أمره بالتصدق، لأنه جعل المال لله تعالى وبو معلوم. (الهداية: ١٨٧،٣/٨٦)
Furthermore, this issue was investigated by the Majlis Tahqīq Masa'il
Hadirah, Karachi. It issued a decree that it is correct for a bank to
deduct the zakāh.
An answer to this objection is to be found in detail in Ahsan al-Fatawa.
Refer to volume 4, pp. 314-324.
However, after looking at the issue in the light of the above-mentioned
ruling, there remains no objection.
(2) The second objection was that the bank actually deducts an amount
from the interest amount. Therefore, the payment was made from the
interest amount, and not from the zakāh.
The answer to this is that monies which are deposited in a bank are
not largely made up of interest. When an interest amount is added by
the bank to the original halal amount, and zakah is paid from the total
amount, then the zakah will be attributed to the halal wealth, while
the interest amount will be considered to be wajib at-tasadduq (an
amount which is obligatory to be given in charity). It is essential for
the person to give the entire interest amount in charity without an
intention of reward.
For example, a person deposited 100 000 in a bank for which he
received 10 000 as interest. From the total amount, 2 750 was taken out
as zakāh. From this amount, 2 500 is zakāh for the 100 000 while the
250 is not zakāh. Rather, it is an interest amount which is given as
charity. Yes, it is necessary for the person to give the remaining 9 750
as charity. The recipients for interest are the poor people. There is
therefore no harm in this.1
It should be borne in mind that the above details apply if the bank
deducted the zakah after the interest was added to the amount. If the
person received the interest after the zakah was deducted, e.g. 2 500
1 As gauged from Fatāwā Haqqānīyyah, vol. 4, p. 98.
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was taken out as zakah for the deposited amount of 100 000, and the
bank placed this amount [2 500] in its zakah fund, and then he
received interest on 2 500, then this additional amount will be for the
poor and not for the owner.
ونظيره إبل الزكاة والأضحية إذا ولدت. (مستفاد من فتاوى فريدية، ج٣،
ص٣٨٠.
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
ولدت الأضحية قبل الذبح یذبح الولد معها، وعند بعضهم يتصدق به بلا ذبح.
(الدر المختار، ج ٥، ص ٣٢٣).
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
When all jewellery is given in charity
Question
A person owned a lot of jewellery and did not pay zakah on it for many
years. He then gave all the jewellery to a zakah collector with the
intention of zakāh. Is the zakah fulfilled for all the past years?
Answer
When the person gave all the jewellery to a collector with the
intention of zakāh, his zakāh for the past years is also fulfilled.
Al-Hidāyah:
من تصدق بجميع مالم لا ينوي الزكاة سقط فرضها عن استحساناً لأن
الواجب جزء من فكان متعيناً فيه فلا حاجة إلى التعيين. (الهداية: ١٨٨٨،
كتاب الزكاة)
Sharh al-'Ināyah:
فلو تصدق بالجميع سقط الجميع. (شرح العناية على هامش فتح القدير:٢٧٧٠،
كتاب الزكاة، دار الفكر)
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Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
ولو دفع جميع النصاب إلى الفقير ينوي بـ ... يقع عما نوى. (الفتاوى الهندية:
٧١ (١، كتاب الزكاة)
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
Zakāh on jewellery
Question
A person wants to pay zakah on jewellery. Will he take the weight into
consideration or the value?
Answer
If a person wants to pay zakah of gold jewellery with gold, the value
will not be taken into consideration. He will have to pay the zakah
based on the weight. For example, he will pay one tolā as zakah for 40
tolās of gold. The cost of the manufacturing of the jewellery is not
taken into account here. If he wants to pay the zakah with a different
form of payment, he will assess the value of all the jewellery and then
pay one fortieth as zakāh.
Shāmī:
أنه لوأدى من خلاف جنس اعتبرت القيمة. (الشامى: ٢٩٩٧، سعيد)
Al-Bahr ar-Rā'iq
فلو أدى من خلاف جنس تعتبر القيمة بالإجماع. (البحر الرائق: ٢٢٢٧، باب
زكاة المال، كوئته. وكذا فى تبيين الحقائق: ١٢٧٨. والفتاوى الهندية: ١٧٧٩)
Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah:
When paying zakah on gold and silver jewellery, the value is not
considered but the weight is. If the jewellery weighs 200 tolās, five tolās
of gold will have to be given.1
If silver is not given as zakah but its value is given, it will be valued
according to the price at which it is sold in the market.2
1 Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, vol. 9, p. 378.
2 Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, vol. 9, p. 379.
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Also refer to: Kitab al-Fatāwā, vol. 3, p. 379; Āp Ke Masā'il Aur Oen Kā Hull,
vol. 3, p. 364; Imdād al-Fatāwā, vol. 2, p. 49.
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
Paying zakah before the due date
Question
Is it permissible to pay zakāh before its due date?
Answer
If a person who owns nisab pays zakah before the passage of one year,
his zakāh will be fulfilled.
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
ولو عجل ذو نصاب زكاته لسنين أو لنصب صح لوجود السبب. (الدر المختار:
٢٢٩٣، كتاب الزكاة، سعيد)
Al-Fatāwā al-Hindīyyah:
ويجوز تعجيل الزكاة بعد ملك النصاب، ولا يجوز قبل كذا في الخلاصة. وإنما
يجوز التعجيل بثلاثة شروط: أحدهما أن يكون الحول منعقداً عليه وقت
التعجيل، والثاني أن يكون النصاب الذي أدى عنه كاملاً في آخر الحول.
والثالث أن لا يفوت أصله فيما بين ذلك فإذا كان له النصاب من الذهب أو
الفضة أو أموال التجارة أقل من المأتين فعجل الزكاة ثم كمل النصاب أو كانت
لم مائتا درهم أو عروض للتجارة قيمتها مائتا درهم فتصدق بالخمسة عن
الزكاة وانتقص النصاب حتى حال عليه الحول والنصاب ناقص أو كان
النصاب كاملاً وقت التعجيل ثم هلك جميع المال صار ما عجل به تطوعاً
هكذا في شرح الطحاوي، وكما يجوز التعجيل بعد ملك نصاب واحد عن
نصاب واحد يجوز عن نصب كثيرة كذا في فتاوى قاضي خان. فلو كان عنده
مائتا درهم فعجل زكاة ألف فإن استفاد مالاً أو ربح صار ألفاً ثم تم الحول
وعنده ألف فإنه يجوز التعجيل وسقط عن زكاة الألف، وإن تم الحول ولم
يستفد شيئاً ثم استفاد فالمعجل لا يجزئُ عن زكاتها فإذا تم الحول من حين
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الاستفادة كان له أن يزكي كذا في البحر الرائق، ويجوز التعجيل لأكثر من سنة
لوجود السبب كذا في الهداية. (الفتاوى الهندية: ٦٧ ١، الباب الأول فى صفة
الزكاة).
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
A woman paying zakah on her jewellery
Question
A woman is divorced. She has no wealth except for jewellery which is
more than the nisab. She has no money with her. How does she pay
the zakāh?
Answer
The woman owns jewellery which is more than the nisab. It is
therefore obligatory on her to pay zakah. If she does not have cash
money, she must pay small amounts monthly. In such a case, there will
be no need for her to sell her jewellery.
Tirmidhī Sharīf:
عن عمرو بن شعيب عن أبيه عن جده، أن امرأتين أتتا رسول الله صلى الله
عليه وسلم وفى أيديهما سواران من ذهب، فقال لهما: أتؤديان زكاته، فقالتا:
لا، فقال لهما رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: أتحبان أن يسوركما الله
بسوارين من نار، قالتا: لا، قال: فأديا زكاته. (ترمذى شريف: ١١٣٨، باب ما
جاء فى زكاة الحلى، فيصل).
... Two women came to Rasūlullah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam while they were
wearing bangles of gold. He asked them: "Do you pay zakah for these?" They
replied: "No." He asked: "Do you want Allah to make you wear bangles of the
Hell-fire?" They replied: "No." He said: "Then you should pay the zakah for
these bangles."
Kifāyatul Muftī:
The wife is the owner of her jewellery and whatever else she received
as gifts at the time of her marriage. She is responsible for the payment
of her zakah. Since she does not normally have cash money to pay the
zakāh, she takes the money from her husband and pays it, or the
husband obtains her permission to pay it on her behalf. If the husband
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does not pay it on her behalf nor does he give the money to her, it will
be wajib on the wife to sell some of her belongings [to pay the zakah]
because the obligation is on her shoulders.1
Fatāwā Dār al-'Ulūm Deoband:
Jewellery which is owned by and in the possession of the wife, and is
equal to nisab, then zakah on it is the obligatory responsibility of the
woman. If the husband pays it on her behalf, she takes the money from
him, or she pays it from the money which he gives to her for her
expenses; it will be fulfilled. If there is no other way of paying for it,
she will have to pay it from her jewellery.2
If there is no way of paying the zakah, a portion of the jewellery equal
to the zakah which is liable will be given as zakāh. This is an obligation
to Allāh ta'ālā.3
Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah:
Zakāh will be fulfilled if she pays small amounts at a time.4
Āp Ke Masā'il Aur Oen Kā Hull:
The wife must either save her pocket-money and pay zakah from it, or
give a portion of her jewellery as zakāh.5
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
Paying zakāh in instalments
Question
Instead of paying the entire zakah amount at once, a person wants to
pay it in monthly instalments. What is the ruling in this regard?
Answer
It is permissible and correct to pay zakāh in instalments. The zakāh
will be fulfilled.
1 Kifāyatul Muftī, vol. 4, p. 266.
2 Fatāwā Dār al-'Ulūm Deoband, vol. 6, p. 285.
3 Fatāwā Dār al-'Ulūm Deoband, vol. 6, p. 109.
4 Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, vol. 9, p. 466.
5 Āp Ke Masā'il Aur Oen Kā Hull, vol. 3, p. 345.
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Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
وشرط صحة أدائها نية مقارنة لم أي للأداء ولو حكماً أو مقارنة بعزل ما
وجب كله أو بعضه. (الدر المختار: ٢٢٧٠، سعيد)
Kitab al-Fatāwā:
The Shari'ah has provided a lot of ease in the payment of zakāh. Zakāh
can be paid before the expiry of the year. It can also be paid after the
expiry of the year - a person may delay in his payment according to
his circumstances and financial situation. However, efforts must be
made to pay it as quickly as possible. Similarly, zakah can be paid all at
once or in instalments. A person may pay 100 rupees monthly as
zakāh.1
Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah:
It is not necessary to pay the entire amount in the month of Ramadan.
Rather, the zakāh can be fulfilled if it is paid in small amounts.2
Allah ta'ālā knows best.
Paying zakāh via a money-order
Question
Is zakāh fulfilled if it is paid through a money-order?
Answer
If zakāh is paid to a poor person through a money-order, the zakāh
will be fulfilled. In other words, the zakah is fulfilled when paid via the
post. If it gets lost in the process, there is no need to pay it again.
Fatāwā Rahīmīyyah:
It is permissible to send zakāh via a money-order or a draft out of
necessity.
Imdād al-Fatāwā:
في الدر المختار مسائل متفرقة من کتاب الهبة: تملیک الدین ممن ليس عليه
الدين باطل إلا في ثلاث: حوالة أو وصية وإذا سلط أي سلط المملك غير
1 Kitāb al-Fatāwā, vol. 3, p. 323.
2 Fatāwā Mahmūdīyyah, vol. 9, p. 467.
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المديون على قبضه أي الدين فيصح حينئذٍ ومنه ما لو وببت من ابنها ما على
أبيه فالمعتمد الصحة للتسليط.
From the words
ومنه ما لو وهبت
We learn that in the case where authority is given, then practical
ownership has taken place. Had this not been the case, giving
authority would not have been made the basis for validity. This is
because when there is physical possession, there is no doubt
whatsoever about the validity of the giving or handing over (hibah).
Then there is no meaning to giving preference to the validity. From
this it is proven that giving authority is in itself ownership, even
though it is permissible to remove the authority before possession is
taken of it because the contract has not been completed as yet ... Thus,
if the giving of authority is ownership, and the intention of zakah is
sufficient at the time of giving ownership, and there is certainly the
handing over of authority at the time of sending a money-order,
therefore, an intention at the time of sending the money-order is
sufficient.1
Īdāh al-Masā'il:
If a zakāh amount is sent to a poor person via money-order, then
zakāh will be fulfilled when making the intention of zakah at the time
of handing over the money-order to the post office. Therefore if it gets
lost somewhere along the way, it will not be necessary to repay the
zakāh.2
Allāh ta'ālā knows best.
Investing a zakah amount into a profitable business
Question
A zakāh amount is invested into a profitable business, and the profits
which accrue from it are distributed among the poor. Will the zakah be
fulfilled in this way?
1 Imdād al-Fatāwā, vol. 2, p. 25.
2 Īdāh al-Masā'il, p. 121.
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Answer
Bearing in mind that a poor person has not taken possession of the
amount - and we know that it is essential for the poor to take
possession of the zakah - the above-described scenario is not
permissible. The zakah will not be fulfilled. Furthermore, it contains
the following harms:
1. Zakāh must be paid as quickly as possible at the expiry of the
lunar year. In this case, the zakah amount will be tied down
and out of one's control. It is possible that after some time, the
heirs of the factory may consider it to be part of their estate
and distribute it among themselves.
2. The element of ownership is an obvious factor in zakah. Apart
from the Qur'anic order: "and pay the zakah", and the Hadith:
"Pay the zakah of your wealth", the jurists have prohibited the
construction of masajid, shrouding of the deceased, etc. from
zakah funds because the element of ownership is not found.
Badā'i' as-Sanā'i':
وقد أمر الله الملاك بإيتاء الزكاة لقوله عز وجل: {وآتوا الزكاة} والإيتاء بو
التمليك، ولذا سمى الله تعالى الزكاة صدقة بقوله تعالى : {إنما الصدقات
للفقرائ ... } والتصدق تمليك. (بدائع الصنائع: ٢٣٩، سعيد)
Fath al-Qadir:
ولا يبنى بها مسجد ولا يكفن بها ميت، لانعدام التمليك وبو الركن فإن
الله تعالى سمابا صدقة، وحقيقة الصدقة تمليك المال من الفقير. (فتح القدير:
٢٢٦٧، دار الفكر. وكذا فى العناية شرح الهداية: ٢٢٦٧، دار الفكر)
Ad-Durr al-Mukhtār:
وافتراضها عمري أي على التراخي، وصححه الباقاني وغيره، وقيل فوري أي
واجب على الفور وعليه الفتوى، كما في شرح الوهبانية. (الدر المختار: ٢٩٧١،
سعيد)
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