Tazkiyya — Purification & Zakat Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

Purification & Zakat Calculators — plain-language answers

When you own shares, a small part of a company's income can come from sources Islam does not permit — mostly interest — known as Impure Income. Purification means giving that impure part away to charity, so the rest of your wealth stays clean.

🧭 Start With The Basics

1 What does "purification" mean, in simple terms? ▼

A small portion of a company's income may come from sources Islam does not permit — like interest earned on bank deposits — generally known as Impure Income. When you own shares in such a company, the Impure Income it earns becomes attributable to you, in proportion to the shares you own or owned.

Even if the company's main business is permissible, that slice of Impure Income needs to be looked at carefully. Purification means working out that impure slice and giving it away to charity, so the wealth you keep remains pure (halal).

2 Why do I need to purify my investment income? ▼

A Shariah-screened company may still earn a very small amount of non-permissible income. Scholars say you may keep your investment, but you should not personally benefit from that tainted portion. Removing it — by donating it — keeps your earnings clean.

3 What exactly is "Impure Income"? ▼

It is your share of the company's earnings that came from non-permissible sources — such as interest income on bank deposits, bonds or loans; income from debt mutual funds and other fixed-income instruments; and any minor income from impermissible business activities. How much of it is "yours" depends on how many shares you held and for how many days.

4 Is purification the same thing as Zakat? ▼

No — they are two separate obligations, and this is the most common mix-up:

Zakat — An act of worship — generally 2.5% (the rate differs in a few specific cases) of the zakatable wealth of a person whose wealth is above the Nisab threshold (a mālik al-niṣāb), paid to specific people, for which you earn reward.
Purification — A cleansing — you give away tainted income with no reward expected. It does not count towards your Zakat.

5 Do I earn reward (thawab) for purifying? ▼

No — and that is the whole point. You give the impure amount away only to remove it from your wealth, as part of purifying — not as rewarded charity. Pay your Zakat separately for that, using the Zakat Calculator.

🧮 Using The Calculator

6 How does the calculator work, in one line? ▼

It finds the Impure Income for a single share for a single day, then multiplies that by the number of shares you held and the number of days you held them — for every shareholding — and adds it all together.

7 What is the "Per-Share-Per-Day" method? ▼

First, the company's Impure Income for the financial year is spread evenly across all its shares and all 365 days. That gives a tiny "impure rate" for a single share on a single day. The calculator then multiplies that rate by your shares and your holding days.

The Formula, In Plain Terms

Impure income per share per day =
(Impure income for the financial year) ÷ (Average shares outstanding × 365)

Your total impure income = that rate × shares you held × days you held

The "year" is the financial year ending 31 March. All your shareholdings are added into one combined amount.

8 Is purification worked out on the number of shares, or on their market value? ▼

On the number of shares and the days you held them — not on their market value. Purification uses the Per-Share-Per-Day method (shares × days × the company's impure rate), so a rise or fall in the share price does not change your purification amount.

This is different from Zakat on trading shares, which is based on market value. For purification, only the company's Impure Income attributable to your shareholding matters.

9 Which "year" does the calculator use — and why does 31 March matter? ▼

The calculator works on the Indian financial year, which runs from 1 April to 31 March. A company reports its Impure Income for each financial year, so both the "impure income for the year" and the 365-day split refer to a financial year ending 31 March.

Your holding days are counted within each financial year: from your purchase date (or 1 April, if you already held the shares when the year began) up to your sale date (or 31 March, if you still held them at year-end). If you held a stock across several financial years, each year's own impure rate is applied to the days you held it that year.

Because a company's Impure Income is only known once its audited results for the year ending 31 March are published, the current (incomplete) year is estimated from the most recent published figures.

10 What if a company's financial year isn't April–March? ▼

A few companies — often the Indian arms of foreign groups — report on a different cycle (for example, January–December or July–June). The method is exactly the same, but it follows the company's own financial year rather than the standard April–March one.

The "impure income for the year" and the 365-day split are taken from that company's own annual reporting period, and your holding days are counted within it. The calculator reads each company's declared financial-year-end from its filings, so you don't need to adjust anything yourself — just enter your actual purchase and sale dates and quantities. Where a figure isn't yet available for a company's exact year, its most recent published annual results are used.

11 What information do I need to enter? ▼

For each stock you provide a few simple details — all of which appear on your demat account statement (holding / transaction statement):

The company / stock name — and, to identify the exact security, you may also enter the BSE scrip code or the company's INE / ISIN code.
Your purchase date.
The sale date — or today's date if you still hold it.
The number of shares you held.

Refer to Q15 regarding changes in shares on account of corporate actions such as Bonus, split etc.

12 What are the BSE code and the INE / ISIN code, and why enter them? ▼

Company names can look alike, so a code pins down the exact security:

The BSE scrip code is the number the Bombay Stock Exchange gives each listed company (for example, 500325 for Reliance Industries).
The INE / ISIN code is a 12-character code beginning with "INE" that uniquely identifies an Indian security across every exchange.
Entering either helps the tool match your shareholding to the correct company.

13 Which date do I use if I still own the shares? ▼

Use today's date in the "Sale / Today" field. The calculator counts your holding days within each financial year — up to 31 March for completed years, and up to today for the current year.

14 I bought the same stock on different dates, or added more later. How do I enter that? ▼

Enter each purchase separately. If you bought the same stock on different dates, or topped up later, add a line (or use "Add Another Stock") for each lot, with its own purchase date and quantity. The tool prorates every lot by its own holding days, so buying in stages is handled correctly. Your demat statement lists each purchase.

15 What about changes in share count due to bonus shares or stock splits and the like? ▼

Apart from normal purchase and sale transactions, any action that results in a change in the number of shares will need to be entered appropriately in the Calculator, such that the actual number of shares you held in each period exactly matches your demat statement, for example:

Rights issue — add them as a new lot from the date of acquisition, like a normal purchase.
Buyback of shares — treat them as a sale of shares.
Bonus shares — add them as a new lot from the bonus allotment date, with the bonus quantity.
Stock split (also called sub-division of shares) — from the split's effective date, add the incremental shares you received (i.e. post-split shares less pre-split shares) as a separate line item.
Consolidation of shares (also called reverse stock split) — from the share consolidation's effective date, treat the decremental shares (i.e. pre-consolidation shares less post-consolidation shares) as sold, and enter the data accordingly.
Demerger — enter the shares received in the newly formed company as a separate line item.
Merger — (a) enter the original company's shares only up to the date of the merger, as reflected in your demat statement; (b) enter the acquiring company's shares received as a separate line item.

The Purification Calculator accordingly computes the exact impure income corresponding to the shares held by you for each financial year, with reference to such corporate actions.

16 I received shares through ESOPs or RSUs. From when do I purify them? ▼

Treat them like any other shareholding, but count from the date they actually became yours — the vesting / credit date when the shares were transferred to your demat account, not the grant or offer date.

Enter that vesting date as the purchase date, along with the number of shares credited. Purification then applies for the days you have held them since, exactly as for shares you bought.

17 What shareholdings can I add right now? ▼

Indian stocks listed on BSE and NSE are live. The Mutual Funds / ETFs and PMS sections are marked "coming soon" and will be added in a later update.

18 Can I add more than one stock? ▼

Yes. Use "Add Another Stock" for each shareholding. The tool combines everything into a single total impure income figure for you.

⚠️ Non-Compliant Or Impermissible Shares

19 How do I know whether a share is Shariah-compliant? ▼

A stock must pass two screens to be compliant:

Business-activity screen — the company's core business must be permissible. Conventional banking and insurance, alcohol, pork, gambling, tobacco, adult entertainment and similar activities are not allowed.
Financial-ratio screen — its interest-bearing debt, interest income and similar items must stay within accepted limits.

It is compliant only if it passes both. ShariahCap Advisors applies recognised screening standards.

20 What if a stock fails only the financial-ratio screen? ▼

Its core business is fine, but its financials — for example, interest-bearing debt taken by the company, or interest income it earns — breach the accepted limits, so it is treated as non-compliant. Many scholars allow a short window to exit at the next review; meanwhile, purify the impure-income portion. If it stays non-compliant, you should exit.

21 What if the company's core business itself is impermissible? ▼

Then investing in it is not allowed in the first place — for example a brewery, a conventional bank, or a gambling firm. You should exit such a shareholding promptly; the small Per-Share-Per-Day purification is not enough to make an impermissible business permissible.

22 I am holding shares that are non-compliant. What should I do? ▼

The mainstream guidance is straightforward, though the exact figure depends on the case and the standard followed:

Exit the shareholding as soon as it is practical to do so.
Keep only your original capital — the amount you actually invested.
Purify the profit or gain linked to the impermissible activity by giving it to charity, expecting no reward.
Confirm the precise amount and method with a scholar or with ShariahCap Advisors.

23 Do I have to sell even at a loss? ▼

The duty is to divest, and ideally without delay. You may pick a sensible moment to sell, but the intention must be to exit — not to keep waiting indefinitely for a better price. Selling to come out of an impermissible shareholding is itself part of cleansing your wealth.

24 Do I purify the whole capital gain, or only the dividends? ▼

For a compliant company, you do not purify your capital gains — and purifying only the dividends you received is not sufficient either, because dividends have no direct link to the Impure Income a company earns in a given financial year. Only the small Impure-Income slice (mostly interest) is purified, independent of dividends or capital gains — that is exactly what this calculator does.

For a non-compliant company you are exiting, scholars commonly require purifying the gain connected to the impermissible activity, and sometimes the dividend in full. Because views differ, obtain a ruling for your specific shareholding.

✅ After You Calculate

25 What do I do with the final amount? ▼

Donate the full amount to a charitable cause of your choice. Keep no part of it for yourself. Its only purpose is to cleanse your wealth.

26 Are there any restrictions on where the purified amount can go? ▼

Give it to the poor and needy, or to general public-welfare causes, with no expectation of reward and no personal benefit to you.

Because this is tainted money being cleansed, many scholars advise not using it for acts of worship or religious merit — such as building or furnishing a mosque, or printing copies of the Qur'an. If you are unsure whether a particular cause is appropriate, check with a scholar or with ShariahCap Advisors.

27 Do I have to sell shares to fund the purification? ▼

No. You may pay the impure amount from any halal money you already have; you do not need to sell your shares to raise it. What matters is that the impure amount leaves your wealth and reaches charity.

28 Can I count this donation as my Zakat? ▼

No. Purification and Zakat are separate duties. This donation does not reduce or replace the Zakat you owe.

29 Can I claim a tax deduction for it? ▼

This tool does not give tax advice, and rules vary. Speak to a tax professional about how a charitable donation is treated in your case.

💡 Good To Know

30 Where does the "Impure Income for the year" come from? ▼

From the company's audited & published annual financial statements. The portal uses indicative figures; for a precise number, refer to the company's audited accounts or ask a qualified advisor.

Data availability: As of now, this Impure Income Per Share Per Day (IIPSPD) data is available with us only up to 31 March 2025 (FY 2024-25). It will be updated at a later stage to include FY 2025-26 figures once they are published.

31 If a company is fully Shariah-compliant, do I still purify? ▼

Often, yes — many screened companies still earn some Impure Income, for example a little interest on idle cash. If there is any impure income at all, a small purification applies. If there is genuinely none, there is nothing to purify.

32 My result is very small. Is that normal? ▼

Yes. Impure income is usually a tiny fraction of your returns, so the purification amount is often small. Small or not, it should still be given away.

33 I've already sold the shares — do I still need to purify? ▼

Yes. Purification is due for the period you actually held the shares, whether or not you still own them. Enter the purchase and sale dates, and the tool works out the impure income for exactly that holding period.

34 Do I purify once, or every year? ▼

Purification applies for each financial year you hold the shares, so it is best done every year — usually once the company's annual results are published. If you have held for several years, purify for each of those years.

35 I forgot to purify for past years — what now? ▼

The obligation remains, so work it out and give it for those years too. Enter each past holding period so the tool computes the impure income for those years, and donate the total.

Where exact figures for an old year aren't available, estimate conservatively — err on the side of giving a little more. If several years are involved, a scholar or ShariahCap Advisors can help you settle the amount.

36 What if I made an overall loss on the stock — do I still purify? ▼

Yes. Purification tracks the company's impure income attributable to your shareholding, which is independent of whether you made a personal profit or loss. Even on a loss-making investment, the impure income for the days you held it should still be purified.

37 Is this a fatwa? ▼

No. The calculator gives estimates for learning and guidance only. For a binding ruling on your situation, consult a qualified Islamic finance scholar. The methodology is reviewed and endorsed by ShariahCap Advisors.

Zakat in Islam is a religious obligation like prayers and fasting: Muslims who own wealth above a minimum prescribed level are required to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth annually to eight categories of people identified in Quran (9:60). For specific queries we advise people to get in touch with their scholars — the aim of this calculator is to provide general guidance only.

🧭 Start With The Basics

1 What is Zakat, simply put? ▼

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam. Once a year, Muslims who own a minimum level of wealth are required to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth to pre-identified categories such as poor, needy, those who work in Zakat collection, etc. One aim of Zakat is to purify the donor's wealth and support the poor and needy.

2 Who has to pay Zakat? ▼

A Muslim whose total zakatable wealth has stayed at or above the minimum level (the Nisab) for one full lunar year. If your wealth is below that level, no Zakat is due on you.

3 What is "Nisab"? ▼

Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth you must own for Zakat to become due on you. It is set as the value of either 612.36 g of silver or 87.48 g of gold. Below this value, you are not obligated to pay Zakat.

4 Gold Nisab or Silver Nisab — which one applies to me? ▼

It depends on your school of thought (madhab). The calculator sets it for you automatically once you choose:

Hanafi — uses the silver value (a lower, more inclusive threshold). However, many contemporary Hanafi scholars and researchers, due to present circumstances and various other reasons, also give their rulings on the basis of the gold nisab.
Maliki · Shāfi'ī · Ḥanbalī — use the gold value.

5 What is "Hawl"? ▼

Hawl is the one-year waiting period. Your wealth must stay at or above the Nisab for one complete lunar year (about 354 days) for Zakat to become due. The calculator helps you to confirm this before it will calculate.

Note: The waiting for one complete lunar year applies only to a person whose wealth has reached the Nisab for the first time. A person who already owns wealth equal to or above the Nisab and calculates and pays Zakat every year on a fixed date does not need to wait for one full year on every new amount of wealth.

6 What is a "Madhab," and why does the calculator ask for mine? ▼

A madhab is a recognised school of Islamic law. The four main ones — Hanafi, Maliki, Shāfi'ī and Ḥanbalī — agree on the core matters of Zakat but differ on some details (such as which Nisab to use, and whether gold jewellery is zakatable). Choosing yours makes the result match how you practise.

If you don't know which madhab you follow, consult your scholar.

📅 When & How To Calculate

7 When in the year should I calculate and pay my Zakat? ▼

Note the date your wealth first reached the Nisab — that becomes your yearly Zakat anniversary. On the same date each year you value your wealth and pay. Many people pick an easy-to-remember date, such as a fixed day in Ramadan. People usually choose Ramadan because good deeds carry greater reward in this blessed month.

Otherwise, it is better that people calculate and pay their Zakat in different months throughout the year, so that the needs of the poor can be met at all times.

8 Should I use the lunar (Hijri) or the solar calendar? ▼

Zakat follows the lunar (Hijri) year, which is about 354 days, at 2.5%. If you prefer to track a solar year, some scholars allow it but use a slightly higher rate (about 2.577%) to make up for the extra ~11 days. The calculator uses the standard 2.5%.

9 My wealth rose and fell during the year. What do I pay Zakat on? ▼

What matters is that your wealth stayed at or above the Nisab across the year. On your Zakat date, you pay 2.5% on the zakatable wealth you hold that day. The day-to-day ups and downs in between do not trigger a separate calculation.

10 Do I pay Zakat on my monthly salary? ▼

Not on each salary by itself. Salary becomes part of your savings, and you pay Zakat once a year on whatever savings remain on your Zakat date (above the Nisab). Money spent on living is not counted for Zakat calculation. For example, if the Nisab is ₹500,000 and a person owns assets worth ₹5,000,000, then the Zakat is payable on the entire ₹5,000,000.

11 Is Zakat due on money I am saving for Hajj, a house, or a wedding? ▼

Yes. Savings are zakatable even when earmarked for a future goal, as long as they are with you (at your disposal) on your Zakat date and your wealth is above the Nisab.

12 Do my children's savings owe Zakat? ▼

Schools differ. In the Hanafi view, a minor's wealth is generally not zakatable until adulthood; the majority view holds that Zakat is still due on a child's zakatable wealth, paid by the guardian. Follow your madhab or ask your scholar. It is important to distinguish between two situations.

In the first instance, where an asset or some wealth has been legally transferred to a child through a gift or another valid means, making the child its actual owner. Since the wealth belongs to the child, Zakat will not be due on it until the child reaches puberty. The second instance is where an asset or some wealth has merely been set aside for the child but still remains under the ownership of the father or mother. In this case, although the wealth has been kept for the child, it is still owned by the father or mother. Therefore, Zakat will be due on it. This distinction must be clearly understood.

13 Does my wife pay Zakat on her own gold and savings? ▼

Yes — each adult owner is responsible for their own zakatable wealth, so a wife pays on her own gold, cash and investments. A husband may pay it on her behalf with her permission, but the obligation rests on the owners.

14 I forgot to pay Zakat for past years. What now? ▼

Missed Zakat remains a debt you owe. Estimate each missed year's zakatable wealth as best you can and pay it. Where you are unsure, better to err on the positive side by paying a little more.

🧮 Using The Calculator

15 How do I use it, step by step? ▼

The calculator guides you through five steps:

Step 1 — Choose your school of thought (madhab).
Step 2 — Check the Nisab basis and today's gold / silver prices.
Step 3 — Confirm the Hawl (that a lunar year has passed).
Step 4 — Enter the value of your zakatable assets.
Step 5 — Subtract what you owe, then press Calculate.

16 What kinds of assets count towards Zakat? ▼

Wealth you save or hold to grow. The calculator lists each type for you, including: cash and bank balances; gold and silver; Indian and foreign shares; mutual funds and ETFs; business stock and receivables; the accessible part of savings schemes (FD, EPF, PPF, NPS); rental income saved; and property bought to resell.

17 Is my house or my car zakatable? ▼

No. Things you use for everyday living — your home, your personal car, household goods — are not zakatable. Only wealth you save or invest is counted.

18 What about my gold jewellery? ▼

It depends on your madhab, and the calculator applies the right rule once you choose:

Hanafi · Ḥanbalī — gold jewellery is zakatable.
Maliki · Shāfi'ī — jewellery for personal use is generally exempt. However, it is better for a woman to pay Zakat on her personal-use gold and silver jewellery as a precaution.

19 I own foreign companies' shares — how do I calculate their value? ▼

Enter each holding's value in its parent currency (USD, GBP or EUR). The calculator converts it to rupees' equivalent using the exchange rates you provide.

20 What about Employee Provident Fund (EPF), Public Provident Fund (PPF), National Pension Scheme (NPS) or money locked in similar schemes? ▼

Include only the portion you can actually access or withdraw today. For fully locked funds, scholars differ — check with your own scholar.

21 Crypto, insurance — are these included? ▼

There is a place for each. Crypto's permissibility is debated, so include it only if your scholar permits your holdings. For insurance, only the surrender value (what you would receive if you cancelled today) is counted.

22 Can I subtract my debts and EMIs? ▼

Yes — but carefully. You may deduct short-term debts due within the year and immediate business liabilities. For a long-term loan (like a home loan), you generally deduct only the instalments due in the year of Zakat calculation, not the entire outstanding loan at once.

23 Can I deduct loans taken for non-zakatable assets, such as a home loan or vehicle loan? ▼

Not the whole loan — only the part due soon. A home loan or car loan is a long-term debt tied to an asset you use (your house or personal car), and those assets are themselves not zakatable.

Deduct only the instalments falling due in the coming year (plus any amount already overdue).
Do not subtract the full outstanding balance from your cash and savings.
Scholars differ on the finer points, so when in doubt, deduct just the next twelve months' instalments and ask your scholar.

📈 Shares, Property & Business

24 How much Zakat do I pay on my shares — on the full value, or only part? ▼

It depends on why you hold them. AAOIFI Shari'ah Standard No. 35 (Zakah) sets out two treatments.

Shares held for trading (bought to resell for a gain) are treated like trade goods: pay 2.5% on their market value on your Zakat date.

Shares held for the long term (for dividends, or to keep): Zakat is due on your prorated share of the company's zakatable assets — its cash, receivables and stock (inventory) — not on the full market price. Fixed assets such as land, buildings, plant and machinery are not included.

Tazkiyya uses full market value as the conservative default, and lets long-term investors apply the zakatable-assets method. (Reference: AAOIFI Shari'ah Standard No. 35, clause 4/2/4.)

25 I own land and properties given on rent. How do I pay Zakat — on them, on the rent, or both? ▼

A building or plot you hold to earn rent is a productive asset, much like a tool of trade, so its market value is not zakatable. What is zakatable is the net rental income you have saved and still hold on your Zakat date (added to your other cash, once above the Nisab).

The one exception is property bought to resell (trading), where the full market value is zakatable. The home you live in is never zakatable.

26 I run a small business. How do I calculate my Zakat? ▼

Value your business's zakatable assets on your Zakat date: cash in hand and in the bank, stock/inventory at its current selling (market) price, and receivables you genuinely expect to recover.

Add these together, deduct current liabilities (supplier payables and short-term business debts), and pay 2.5% of the net. Equipment used to run the business — fittings, machinery, furniture, delivery vehicles — is not zakatable, because it is a tool of trade, not stock held for sale.

27 I am a partner in a business with a set profit-sharing percentage. How do I calculate my Zakat? ▼

First, work out the business's net zakatable assets (cash + stock + receivables − current liabilities), exactly as for a small business. Then pay Zakat on your share:

Your share of the business assets follows your ownership / capital stake in the firm.
Any profit already paid out to you and still held is counted with your personal savings.
Remember a profit-sharing % can differ from an ownership %. If the split is unclear, agree each partner's share together, or ask your scholar.

💰 After You Calculate · Paying Your Zakat

28 How much Zakat will I pay? ▼

The standard rate is 2.5% of your net zakatable wealth, once the Hawl has passed and you are at or above the Nisab.

The Formula, In Plain Terms

Zakat = Net zakatable wealth × 2.5%

Applies only once the Hawl has passed and your wealth is at or above the Nisab.

29 Is there a reward for paying Zakat? ▼

Yes. Unlike the purification of investment income, Zakat is an act of worship and a pillar of Islam — you are rewarded for fulfilling your duty.

30 Who can receive my Zakat? ▼

Zakat must go to one or more of the eight categories named in the Quran (chapter 9, verse 60):

The poor (al-Fuqarā) — those with little or no means to meet basic needs.
The needy (al-Masākīn) — those with some income, but not enough to live on.
Zakat workers (al-ʿĀmilīn) — those appointed to collect and distribute Zakat.
Reconciling hearts (al-Mu'allafati qulūbuhum) — new Muslims, or those drawn towards Islam, supported to strengthen their faith.
Freeing the captive (fir-Riqāb) — historically freeing slaves; today applied to freeing captives and those in bondage.
Those in debt (al-Ghārimīn) — people unable to repay debts taken for lawful needs.
In the cause of Allah (fī sabīlillāh) — those striving in God's path; some scholars extend this to certain religious and welfare causes.
The stranded traveller (Ibn as-sabīl) — a traveller cut off from their wealth, even if well-off back home.

31 Can I give my Zakat to my own family? ▼

You cannot give Zakat to those you are obliged to support — such as your spouse, your children, or your parents. You may give it to other relatives in need, such as a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew — and giving to needy relatives carries extra reward.

Note: According to the Shafi'i school, a husband cannot give Zakat to his wife. However, a wife may give Zakat to her husband.

32 Can I give Zakat to a non-Muslim? ▼

Scholars contend that the core Zakat categories are for Muslims. General charity (sadaqah) may be given to anyone, but Zakat itself is prioritised to eligible Muslim recipients. Ask your scholar about specific cases, such as the "reconciling hearts" category.

33 Can a mosque, madrasa, or charity collect and distribute my Zakat for me? ▼

Yes. You may give your Zakat to a trustworthy organisation that passes it on to eligible recipients on your behalf. Make sure the funds actually reach people in the identified eight categories.

34 Can Zakat be used to build a mosque or dig a well? ▼

The majority of the scholars do not permit this. Zakat must reach a person identified as recipient. Zakat cannot be spent on building constructions or on general projects. One may use the ordinary charity route for funding such projects.

35 Can I give Zakat as goods instead of cash? ▼

Cash is usually preferred, so the recipient can meet their own needs, but many scholars allow giving essential goods (food, clothes) — especially when it serves the person better. Value the goods at current market price.

36 Can I pay my Zakat in advance, or in instalments? ▼

Yes to both, and there is more freedom here than many people assume. Zakat can be paid at any time of the year — it does not have to be paid in the month of Ramadan only (though many choose Ramadan for the extra reward). Once your wealth is above the Nisab you may even pay ahead of your Zakat date.

You also do not have to pay the whole amount in one go. You may spread it in parts across the year to suit your cash flow, as long as the full amount due is paid.

37 Can I give all my Zakat to one person, or send it abroad? ▼

You may give your whole Zakat to a single eligible person. Giving locally is encouraged first, but sending Zakat to needy people elsewhere — including another country — is not disallowed.

38 Can I use Zakat to clear someone's debt, or cancel a loan I gave? ▼

You may pay the debt of someone in the "those in debt" category. However, simply writing off a loan that someone owes you usually does not count as Zakat — pay your Zakat separately, and treat forgiving the loan as a different act of kindness. Ask your scholar.

🌾 Farm Produce & Livestock

39 Is farm produce treated differently from money and trade? ▼

Yes. Zakat on crops is called Ushr ("a tenth") and follows its own rules. Two differences stand out: it is paid at each harvest — there is no one-year Hawl to wait — and the rate depends on how the land was watered.

40 How much is due on crops — what is the rate? ▼

It turns on the types of irrigation:

10% if the crop was watered naturally — by rain, springs or rivers, at no cost or effort.
5% if it was watered by artificial means that cost money or labour — wells, pumps, tube-wells or paid canal water.
If both were used, scholars apportion between them (often taken as about 7.5%).

41 Is there a minimum amount, and when do I pay? ▼

You pay at harvest time. On the minimum (Nisab), the madhabs differ:

Majority view — a minimum of roughly 653 kg of the staple crop (five wasq); below that, no Ushr is due.
Hanafi view — Ushr is due on the produce regardless of the quantity of produce.
Ushr is separate from, and additional to, the 2.5% on your money and trade wealth.

42 What about rented farmland or sharecropping? ▼

The person who owns the harvested crop pays the Ushr on it. If you rent your land out, treat the rent you receive as ordinary income (Zakat on what you save), while the cultivator pays Ushr on the produce. Scholars differ on the details, so confirm your requirements from your scholar.

43 And what about livestock? ▼

Grazing livestock — camels, cattle, sheep and goats kept on open pasture — have their own fixed thresholds and rates, due once the herd passes set numbers and completes a Hawl. Animals kept for personal use, or as trade stock, are treated differently. This calculator focuses on money and trade wealth; for livestock, consult a scholar.

💡 Good To Know

44 Why do the gold and silver prices matter? ▼

Because both your Nisab and the value of any metals you own are based on live prices. Entering current prices keeps your Nisab — and your final Zakat — accurate.

45 The result says "Below Nisab." What does that mean? ▼

It means your net zakatable wealth is under the minimum threshold, so no Zakat is due this year. Keep checking as your wealth changes through the year.

46 Is this a fatwa? ▼

No. The calculator gives estimates for learning and guidance only; thresholds and prices are indicative. For a binding ruling, consult a qualified scholar or certified Zakat advisor. The methodology is reviewed and endorsed by ShariahCap Advisors.

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