Zakaat on items acquired a few months before one’s Zakaat date

Question:-

I wanted to find out how to calculate Zakaat for an item received in the middle of the year. For example: my wife used to discharge her annual Zakaat before marriage. Her Zakaat would be calculated in the month of Ramadaan. When we got married (in Jumada Al-Thani 1441) my parents gave her jewellery as a gift. Now, someone told us that she doesn’t have to pay Zakaat on the jewellery as it was not in her possession for a complete year.  Hence, she didn’t pay Zakaat for the item. The following year (that is, Ramadaan 1442) she paid Zakaat on the jewellery.

How do we calculate the Zakaat at this point and time, if she is liable to pay Zakaat? Do we use the current value of gold, or do we look at the price of gold at that time when it was due?

Answer:-

There is a common misunderstanding amongst the masses that Zakataable items such as gold, silver, cash etc. has to remain in one’s possession for a complete year to be considered as Zakaatable. This is incorrect.

If your wife possessed the Nisaab before Nikah and had a stipulated Zakaat date already, then she is required to calculate all her assets on her stipulated Zakaat date and discharge her Zakaat accordingly, irrespective of whether she acquired these assets a month before her Zakaat date or just a day before her Zakaat date. If the goods are in her ownership on her stipulated Zakaat date, then she will be required to pay Zakaat on them. Hence, she will be required to pay Zakaat on all the jewellery owned by her in Ramadaan 1441. She should check the gold price on the internet for Ramadaan 1441, calculate her Zakaat and discharge it accordingly. We hope that the above explanation clarifies the issue.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai

Date: 24 Safar 1444 / 21 September 2022