Zakat is paid on 5 types of properties; cattle, gold and silver, commercial goods, grains and fruits and mineral resources. Each has its conditions. Those who neglect paying it are promised a painful suffering.
Properties liable to zakat
Zakat is payable on five types of property:
1-Cattle, including camels, cows and sheep:
:Abu Hurayrah reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said
‘Any owner of camels, cows or sheep who does not pay out their dues shall be made to sit at the bottom of Qarqar Valley on the Day of Judgement when the hoofed animals will step over him and the horned ones will hit him with their horns.’
Related by Muslim, hadith No. 988
2-Gold and silver, and what takes their role (such as currency):
:Allah says in the Qur’an
‘To those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend them in Allah’s cause, give the news of a painful suffering.’
(9:34)
:The Prophet (peace be upon him) says
‘Anyone who owns gold or silver but does not pay out their dues shall come on the Day of Judgement when plates of fire shall be made ready for him, and they will be heated in hell then his forehead, side and back shall be branded with them. When they cool down, they will be reheated. That day is as long as 50 thousand years.’
Related by Muslim, hadith No. 987
3-Commercial goods: These include everything offered for sale for profit.
:Allah says
‘Believers, spend on others out of the good things you have earned.’
(2:267)
Scholars generally agree that this Qur’anic statement refers to commercial goods.
4-Grains and fruits: Grains include every type of grain that is edible and can be stored, such as wheat, barley, corn, etc. Fruits refer to dates and raisins.
:Allah says
‘Believers, spend on others out of the good things you have earned, and out of that which We bring forth for you from the earth.’
(2:267)
:The Prophet (peace be upon him) says
‘For whatever is irrigated by rain and springs, or needs no irrigation, a zakat duty of one tenth (i.e. 10 %) is payable, and for whatever is irrigated by camels, the zakat duty is half of one tenth -i.e. 5 %.’
Related by al-Bukhari, hadith No. 1,483
Under that which is ‘irrigated by camels’ we may include whatever is irrigated by labour and machines. The point of difference is the cost involved in irrigating the second type.
5-Mineral resources and rikaz, or what was buried in the ground by people of past generations: The basis of making zakat payable for these resources is the same verse as for fruits and grains:
‘Believers, spend on others out of the good things you have earned, and out of that which We bring forth for you from the earth.’
(2:267)
:The Prophet (peace be upon him) says
‘A duty of one fifth (i.e. 20%) is payable for rikaz.’
Related by al-Bukhari, hadith No. 1,499; Muslim, hadith No. 1,710
Scholars are generally agreed that zakat is payable for mineral resources.[1]
references
- Al-Nadawi, Al-Fiqh al-Muyassar, p. 24.