If wealth dips below the nisaab during the year
Question I have had 10 000 riyals for ten months. Then I bought some things for my home and I had only 500 riyals remaining. Then I received my salary so it became 10 000 again. Do I have to pay Zakat on them?. Praise be to Allah. One of the conditions of zakaah being…
Question
Praise be to Allah.
One of the conditions of zakaah being obligatory on money is
that one year has passed since you acquired the nisaab, because of the
report narrated by Ibn Majaah (1792) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “There is no zakaah on wealth until
one year has passed.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel
(no. 787).
Based on this, if the money dips below the nisaab during the
year, either because one sells livestock or some of them die, or there is a
dip in the money, then zakaah is no longer obligatory, because if the wealth
dips below the nisaab during the year, then one full year has not passed
since it was acquired, so no zakaah is due on it.
Then if the wealth reaches the nisaab again, then you have to
start counting a new year from when it reached the nisaab.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
al-Majmoo’ (5/506): Our view and the view of Maalik, Ahmad and the
majority, is that with regard to wealth that is subject to zakaah and where
one year must pass before zakaah is paid, such as gold, silver and
livestock, it is essential that the nisaab be present throughout the year.
If it dips below the nisaab at any point during the year, the year is
cancelled. If it reaches the nisaab again after that, then a new year must
be counted from when it reached the nisaab again. End quote.
Al-Bahooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in
Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’ (2/179): If the (wealth) dips below the nisaab
partway through the year, then it is cancelled, because being above the
nisaab throughout the entire year is one of the conditions of zakaah being
obligatory. End quote.
Based on this, no zakaah is due on this money that dipped
below the nisaab, and a new year should be counted from when you receive the
salary that will bring your wealth back up to the nisaab.
For more information on the nisaab for cash, please see the
answer to question no. 100570.
And Allaah knows best.
