Zakaat On Outstanding Debt

QUESTION:

I sold my share of a property in Rajab 1445, for R100. At the conclusion of the sale in Rajab 1445, I received R90 as payment. The buyer promised to pay the remainder R10 in the near future.

My annual Zakaat due date is 1st Ramadhaan. Therefore, on 1st Ramadhan 1445, along with my other Zakaatable assets, I discharged Zakaat on the R90 only (as I still had the R90 in my possession). On 1st Ramadhan 1446, again I discharged Zakaat on the R90 only. In Muharram 1447, I received the payment of the outstanding R10. Do I need to discharge Zakaat for 1446 and 1447 on the outstanding R10?

ANSWER:

If the debtor acknowledges this debt and/or there is proof of him owing the outstanding amount, then Zakaat will have to be paid on the outstanding amount for each year (i.e.1445 onwards). If there is no proof and he is denying the existence of the debt, then Zakaat will not be paid on this amount for the year 1445. However, once the amount is paid, the creditor will have to discharge for the year that he receives the payment (i.e. from Ramadhan 1446 onwards).

وَأَمَّا الدَّيْنُ الْمَجْحُودُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ بَيِّنَةٌ فَهُوَ عَلَى الِاخْتِلَافِ وَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ بَيِّنَةٌ اخْتَلَفَ الْمَشَايِخُ فِيهِ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: تَجِبُ الزَّكَاةُ فِيهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَتَمَكَّنُ الْوُصُولُ إلَيْهِ بِالْبَيِّنَةِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يُقِمْ الْبَيِّنَةَ فَقَدْ ضَيَّعَ الْقُدْرَةَ فَلَمْ يُعْذَرْ، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: لَا تَجِبُ؛ لِأَنَّ الشَّاهِدَ قَدْ يَفْسُقُ إلَّا إذَا كَانَ الْقَاضِي عَالِمًا بِالدَّيْنِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يُقْضَى بِعِلْمِهِ فَكَانَ مَقْدُورَ الِانْتِفَاعِ بِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَدْيُونُ يُقِرُّ فِي السِّرِّ وَيَجْحَدُ فِي الْعَلَانِيَةِ فَلَا زَكَاةَ فِيهِ كَذَا رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَنْتَفِعُ بِإِقْرَارِهِ فِي السِّرِّ فَكَانَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْجَاحِدِ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً.

وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمَدْيُونُ مُقِرًّا بِالدَّيْنِ لَكِنَّهُ مُفْلِسٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَقْضِيًّا عَلَيْهِ بِالْإِفْلَاسِ تَجِبُ الزَّكَاةُ فِيهِ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ جَمِيعًا

(بدائع الصنائع، ج ٢،ص٣٩١)

قال قاضي خان : وفي الدين الوسط لا يجب الأداء ما لم يقبض مائتي درهم، ولا يعتبر الحول بعد القبض، ويعتد بما مضى من الحول قبل القبض في الصحيح من الرواية، انتهى

(فتاوى قاضي خان،ج١،ص٢٢٣)

N.B. The amounts cited in the query are merely for illustrative purposes

 ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: 05 Safar 1447 / 31 July 2025

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb