Basic rules of Zakaat for women

 

Zakaat becomes Compulsory on someone who has 60 grams 755 milligrams of gold or 425 grams 285 milligrams of silver on which 1 year has passed and which is free of debt.

 

Some women think that their jewelry is for their personal use and that there is no Zakaat on them.  However, as per the Hanafi School of Fiqh, Zakaat is obligatory on the gold/silver jewelry that women use when they meet the prescribed criterion.  There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation: The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  You women should give charity, even though it may be from your jewelry.  Then the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t separate the obligation from it.  Thus women started giving their rings and necklaces in charity and the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) didn’t separate gold/silver from the rest.  (Sahih Bukhari)

 

Zakaat on wife if the husband has debts

 

If the husband is under debt and the wife has jewelry of her own, then is Zakaat Compulsory on the wife since her husband is under debt?

 

The ruling of the Shariah in this regard is that the wealth of the spouses will be calculated separately.  If one of them is under debt and the other has wealth which meets the prescribed criterion of Zakaat, then as 1 year passes, Zakaat will be Compulsory on the wealthy spouse.  The spouse who is under debt should subtract the debt from total wealth and if the remainder meets the prescribed criterion, then Zakaat should be given, otherwise not.

 

Zakaat on mortgaged jewelry

 

The person mortgaging jewelry gives their possession to the mortgagee.  The mortgager can’t draw benefit from that jewelry.  For this reason, the Jurists have clarified that Zakaat is not Compulsory on mortgaged wealth.

 

Thus, the Zakaat of mortgaged jewelry is not Compulsory, neither on the mortgagor nor on the mortgagee.  As mentioned by ‘Allama Ibn Nujaim Misri (May Allah shower His mercy on him), Vol. 1, Pg. No. 355.

 

Zakaat on expensive clothes

 

Affluent people have expensive clothes apart from gold, silver, etc.  The value of these clothes is pretty high.  If these clothes have been bought for personal use, there is no Zakaat on them.  If they have been bought for trade purposes, Zakaat is Compulsory on them. 

 

Zakaat on precious stones

 

There is no Zakaat on precious stones like diamonds, rubies, etc. even though they come under jewelry.  No matter how high their value is.  As mentioned in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 180.

 

However, if these are bought and kept as trading goods, then Zakaat is Compulsory on them if they meet the prescribed criterion and 1 year passes on them.

 

Who should a lady give Zakaat to – her relatives or her in-laws?

 

If any lady gives Zakaat, what is better for her – giving Zakaat to her in-laws or her own relatives?  For any person giving Zakaat, it is better to give it as per the order described i.e. first to one’s needy brothers and sisters, then their children, then other relatives like paternal uncle, paternal aunt, etc., then their children and then other relatives like maternal uncle, maternal aunt, etc., then their children.

 

As mentioned in Fatawa A’alamgiri, Vol. 1, Pg. No. 190.

 

Then other relatives should be considered, provided they are not from the family of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and are needy. 

 

If a lady is giving Zakaat, it is better for her to give Zakaat to her own relatives as per the details mentioned above.  When the husband is giving Zakaat, it is better for him to give Zakaat to his own relatives.