Zakaat must be given on jewelry and ornaments

Zakaat must be given on jewelry and ornaments

First Hadith

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat Zaynab (May Allah be well pleased with her), who is the wife of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas’ud (May Allah be well pleased with him), she says that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) gave a sermon before us and said:  O women!  You give the Zakaat of your wealth even though it may only be from your jewelry, as on the Day of Judgment most of you will be in hell (because of not giving Zakaat out of love for wealth).

Tirmidhi has related this Hadith.

This Hadith says that most women will be cast into hell because of not giving Zakaat on jewelry.  Obviously, such a warning is given only when an Obligation is missed.  Thus, the warning mentioned in this Hadith on not giving Zakaat on jewelry establishes that Zakaat is Obligatory on jewelry and ornaments as well.  This is the Hanafi position.

Second Hadith

‘Amr bin Shu’ayb (May Allah be well pleased with him) relates from his paternal grandfather on the authority of his father that a lady came to the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and she had a daughter with her, who was wearing 2 thick bangles of gold around her wrists.  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked that woman:  Do you give Zakaat on this?  She said:  No (I don’t give Zakaat).  On this, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Would you like that on the Day of Judgment (as a punishment because on nonpayment of Zakaat), Almighty Allah should make you wear bangles of fire?  The narrator says:  (On hearing this) The lady snatched away the bangles from the wrists of her daughter and put them before the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) with the words:  I surrender these bangles to Allah and His Prophet.

Abu Dawood has related this Hadith.

Third Hadith

It is narrated on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin Shaddad (May Allah be well pleased with him), he says:  We went to the mother of the believers Hadhrat ‘Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) and she told us:  Once the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) came to me.  On Seeing 2 huge rings of silver in my fingers, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  O ‘Aisha!  What is this?  I said:  O Prophet of Allah (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)!  I got this made so that I can adorn myself for you.  (On this) The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) asked:  Do you give Zakaat of them?  I said:  No or said something else whatever Almighty Allah wanted me to say.  On this, the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  Only these are enough to drag you into hell.

Abu Dawood has related this Hadith.  Hakim has referenced this in his Mustadarak and has said that this Hadith is Sahih as per the standards of Bukhari and Muslim.

Fourth Hadith

It is narrated on the authority of the mother of the believers Hadhrat Umme Salamah (May Allah be well pleased with her), she says:  I would use golden jewelry.  I asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam):  Are these Kanz (treasures whose evil is mentioned)?  The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:  The wealth which meets the prescribed criterion of Zakaat and Zakaat is given of it, is not kanz.

Imam Malik and Abu Dawood have related this Hadith. Hakim has referenced this in his Mustadarak and has said that this Hadith is Sahih as per the standards of Bukhari although Imam Bukhari has not related this Hadith.

It should be clear that the aforementioned Hadith have strict warnings on not giving Zakaat on gold and silver jewelry.  These kind of warnings are given only when an Obligation is being missed.  This establishes that Zakaat is Obligatory on gold and silver jewelry.

[Excertped from Noor ul Masabeeh, Vol. 4, Kitaab uz Zakaat]