Finding out one's zakaat date
Question
Before I got married, my parents used to pay my zakaat. They used to pay it in Ramadaan.
After I got married, for 3 years I never worked out my zakaat in Ramadaan and it got left till last year. On the 1st of Zul Hijjah, I went and got my jewellery weighed and sorted out my zakaat. Gold was at its highest that it has been in years that time so I paid that amount for all the years as the jeweller said that it will be higher than the other years that I never pay. Alhamdulillah I payed off everything last year. I wanted to know for this year, am I supposed to calculate my zakaat in Ramadaan or should I now calculate it on the 1st of Zul Hijjah?
I did not calculate it in Ramadaan this year as I thought I should value it that same day as I did last year.
Answer
You should evaluate your zakaatable assets and calculate your zakaat on your zakaat date and thereafter discharge your zakaat. If you cannot remember your zakaat date, then use your discretion and try to the best of your ability to remember your zakaat date. If this is also not possible, then fix a date and calculate your zakaat on that date (e.g. 1st Ramadhaan or 1st Zul Hijjah).
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
- Answered by
- Mufti Zakaria Makada
- Checked & approved by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
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Source: Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen — https://muftionline.co.za/node/32414
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/muftionline-32414
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