I would like to know whether Zakat has to given only where a person resides like me and my family in germany.
Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
(May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)
One of our brothers/sisters has asked
this question:
I
would like to know whether Zakat has to given only where a person resides like
me and my family in
how should we calculate the exact zakat and fitra?
please
reply back at the earliest.
Allah hafiz.
(There may be some grammatical and spelling
errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in
confidentiality.)
Answer:
Where to fulfill
zakah
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His
help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide,
and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear
witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear
witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His
Messengers.
Your
Qeustion: I would like to know whether Zakat has to given only where a person
resides
There is absolutely no such restriction or obligation in
Shariah that one must pay their ‘zakah’ dues in the place or state they
reside….one is at absolute liberty to spend of their obligatory ‘zakah’ dues
wherever it is easy or convenient for them.
Your
Question: Should we make the zakat only in
Respected brother, you are at absolutely liberty to spend
your ‘zakah’ dues in the place you reside, if you wish to do so; or send the
dues to your contact overseas and instruct them to distribute your ‘zakah’; or
if you so wish, you may delay the distribution of your ‘zakah’ dues for a short
period to enable you to distribute it yourself.
All of the above listed three options are absolutely lawful and
permissible.
Your
Question: how should we calculate the exact zakat and fitra?
Ref: Determination of ‘fitra’ or more
accurately ‘zakat-ul-fitr’
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 2.579
Allah's Messenger
(saws) enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as
‘Zakat-ul-Fitr’ on every Muslim, slave or free, male or female, young or old,
and he (saws) ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the
EId-ul-Fitr’ prayer.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim relate that: "The Prophet (saws) enjoined the payment of one sa' of dates or
one sa' of barley as ‘zakat ul-fitr’ on every Muslim, young and old, male and
female, free and slave."
Al-Baihaqi and ad-Daraqutni relate: "The Messenger of Allah
(saws) enjoined the ‘zakat ul-fitr’, and
also said: 'Free them (the poor) from want on this day.'"
If is preferable (and some
scholars say mandatory) to give the
zakat-ul-fitr as food to the poor and needy believers of the society. But if one is not able to personally give
out the food as ‘zakat-ul-fitr’, it is
permissible to give the equivalent amount to an organization who collects the
‘zakat-ul-fitr’; and they in turn will
purchase the food on your behalf and give it to the poor and needy believers.
One Saa' is equal to four (4) Mudd, and one (1) Mudd is
equal to the amount held by cupping the two hands together. It is a measure by
volume not by weight. The amount would
obviously differ if we compare the value of one saa' of dates to one saa' of
barley, for example: a saa' of barley is approximately $2.00, while a saa' of
dates ranges -according to quality from $1.50 - $60.00!; the majority of the
scholars in Islam are of the opinion that the minimum amount per person as
‘zakat-ul-fitr’ in this day and age is about $2.50.
Fiqh-us-Sunnah 3.87a
‘Zakat ul-fitr’ was made obligatory in the
month of Sha'ban in the second year of the Hijrah by the Messenger of Allah
(saws). Its purpose is to purify one who fasts from any indecent act, or
speech, and to help the poor and needy. This view is based upon the hadith
reported by Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, and ad-Daraqutni from Ibn 'Abbas. The
Messenger of Allah (saws) enjoined ,zakat ul-fitr, on the one who fasts to
shield one's self from any indecent act or speech and for the purpose of
providing food for the needy. It is accepted as zakah, for the person who
pays it before the Eid ‘salah’, and it is ‘sadaqah’ for the one who pays it
after the ‘salah’.
Ref: Determination of annual ‘zakah’
If
the total net worth of any believer (man, woman, or child) is more than the
prescribed ‘nisaab’ of 7.5 ‘tolas’ of gold (app. 85 grams or app. Value
US$2,100.00), then the person is liable to pay the obligatory annual ‘zakah’ of
2.5% on their excess wealth which has been in their possession for a full
calendar year.
If
the total net worth of any believer is less than the prescribed ‘nisaab’,
he/she is not liable to pay any ‘zakah’ until their net worth exceeds the
prescribed ‘nisaab’.
For the purpose of determining ‘zakah’, the ‘Net Excess
Assets’ would be the current market value of all of one’s assets (properties,
investments, jewelry, cash, etc.) except:
Thus ‘zakah’ is determined as 2.50% of one’s ‘net excess
assets’: ie. One’s total assets, less one’s liabilities, less the value of
one’s house, less the value of one’s car, less the value of one’s furniture and
fixtures.
For example say:
Thus the ‘net excess wealth’ of this person will be
(50,000 – 5,000 – 10,000 – 2,000 – 500) $32,500 and his ‘zakah’ for the current
year will be 2.50% or $812.50.
Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only
due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me
alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is
the Only Source of Strength.
Your brother and
well wisher in Islam,
Burhan
