Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do Islamic scholars state about the following issue: Zayd is very
eager to perform ḥajj, so he started saving money and a complete year
has passed on it. He is also the owner of niṣāb.
Will Zaid have to give zakat on the mentioned amount of money as well?
بِسْمِ اللہِ
الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ
الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
If the amount in his possession remains equal to
the required niṣāb after any debt and
basic necessities of life are expended upon, it will be obligatory for him to
give zakat in the scenario asked in the question. FatāwaʿĀlamgīri explains:
تجب الزکاۃ عند تمام الحول الاول کذا فی
فتح القدیر وھکذا فی الکافی
وکل دین لا مطالب لہ من جھۃ العباد کدیون اللہ تعالی من
النذور والکفارات وصدقۃ الفطر ووجوب الحج لا یمنع
In Fatāwa Shāmi:
اذا امسكه لينفق منه كل ما يحتاجه فحال الحول وقد بقی معه منه نصاب فانه
يزكی ذلك الباقی وان كان قصده
الانفاق منه ايضا فی المستقبل لعدم استحقاق صرفه الى حوائجه الاصلية وقت
حولان الحول
Shaykh al-Islam wa al-Muslimīn,
Imam Aḥmad Razā Khān رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه was once asked a similar
question, which was as follows: “Zayd has saved some money in his eagerness to
visit the Ḥaramayn. In this endeavour he has become the owner of niṣāb for a year and a half now. Should he pay ṣadaqah fiṭr, zakat and perform qurbani on Eid al-Aḍḥa or not?” The imam replied, “Zakat is
obligatory (farḍ) upon him, whilst ṣadaqah and qurbani are necessary (wājib).”
Mufti Amjad ʿAli ʿAẓami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه said:
Someone has an amount of money which he is to spend on his basic
necessities. He goes on to spend whatever he spends. If the remaining amount of
money is equal to niṣāb, zakat is necessary
upon it, even if he keeps the remaining amount whilst solely intending to spend
it upon future necessities. If he needs to spend it on said basic necessities
of life when the year is ending, zakat is not necessary to be given.
The erudite mufti also explains how zakat is not an obstacle for ḥajj:
A liability not demanded by any person is not an obstacle for zakat, such
as nadhr, kaffarah, ṣadaqah, ḥajj and qurbani. If their expenses are taken out from niṣāb and by doing this a person does not
remain the owner of niṣāb any more, zakah will still remain necessary. These liabilities are
not an obstacle for ʿushr and khirāj being necessary. Though the person is in
debt, these things will become necessary for him.
وَاللہُ
اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی
اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
Answered By: Mufti Abu
Muhammad ‘Ali Asghar Attari Madani
Ref No: Nor 11459
Date: 18 Shaban-ul-Muazam 1442/2nd April, 2021