Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the scholars
of Islam and Muftis say regarding the following matter: Whether it is necessary
to pay Zakat in the month of Rajab or whether it should it be paid in Ramadan?
بِسْمِ اللہِ
الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ
الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
Zakat is not
related to Ramadan Sharif or Rajab al-Murajjab or any
other specific month. Instead, its payment is Fard (obligatory) when a person becomes
Sahib-e-Nisab (owner of Nisab)
and an (Islamic) year has passed, the Fard to pay zakat arises at the exact moment
a person becomes a Sahib-e-Nisab and the Islamic year
has passed, regardless of the month, the delay is not permissible and is a sin.
For example, if a person becomes Sahib-e-Nisab at 10
a.m. on the 5th of Shawwal-ul-Mukarram and then he remains Sahib-e-Nisab on the same date, the same month of the following year,
then Zakat is Fard on him. Therefore, it is Fard to pay Zakat at that very
time, the one who delays it will be a sinner. Similarly, if he became Sahib-e-Nisab during Rajab or Ramadan the rulings would be based on
it accordingly (i.e., the month countdown will begin right from the month of
becoming Sahib-e-Nisab). However, there is no harm in
paying Zakat before the arrival of that particular month, as, the person on
whom paying Zakat is Fard in Shawwal-ul-Mukarram, is permitted to pay in
Ramadan. However, anyone who acts upon Fard in Ramadan is given a seventy-fold
increase in reward, so if someone pays Zakah in Ramadan before the end of the
year to get more reward, it is a good thing. However, if someone's year ends in
Rajab or Sha'ban and he thinks that Ramadan will come in a month or two, he
will pay in it, then it is not permissible to do so, instead, he must pay Zakat
as soon as the (Islamic) year ends.
وَاللہُ
اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی
اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
Answered By: Abu
Huzaifah Muhammad Shafiq Attari
Verified by: Mufti Fuzail Raza
Attari
Date: 26 Ramadan ul Mubarak 1438 AH - 22nd of
June 2017