Zakat: a practical introduction

What zakat is

Zakat is an obligatory act of worship and a right assigned to eligible recipients. The Qur'an names eight recipient categories (9:60); the Prophet ﷺ instructed Mu'adh to teach that Allah had made charity obligatory from the wealthy and return it to their poor (Sahih al-Bukhari 1395).

A common calculation

For qualifying cash, gold, silver, and trade goods, a commonly applied rate is one quarter of one tenth (2.5%) when the relevant nisab and other conditions are met. The Prophet's instruction on the quarter-tenth is recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud 1573. This rate is not applied to every asset in the same way: crops, livestock, debts, and business situations have their own rules.

The nisab is a minimum threshold; the relevant threshold and how to value assets can differ in scholarly application. Do not rely on a single fixed gram figure or calculator without checking which standard it uses.

Recipients and personal cases

Qur'an 9:60 lists the poor, the needy, zakat administrators, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, emancipation, debtors, the cause of Allah, and the stranded traveller. Eligibility and how categories apply require care.

A personal calculation depends on the type of wealth, debts, ownership period, and the school of law followed. Use a transparent calculator that explains its method and ask a qualified scholar about complex assets or circumstances. This page is an introduction, not an individual fatwa.

Sources: Qur'an 2:267, 9:60; Sahih al-Bukhari 1395, 1454; Sunan Abi Dawud 1573.