Zakat as a Pillar, and What Nisab Means
Zakat is one of the foundational pillars of Islam. The Quran repeatedly joins it to namaz, commanding the believers to ‘establish prayer and give zakat’ (for example 2:43 and 2:110), which is why the two are spoken of together as twin obligations of the faithful. Zakat is not charity given when one feels moved to give; it is a fixed, recurring right that the poor and other eligible recipients hold over a portion of one’s wealth, and paying it purifies the rest.
The amount due is normally one-fortieth, that is 2.5 per cent, of qualifying wealth. But this is owed only when two conditions are met together:
- Nisab — your zakatable wealth reaches or exceeds a minimum threshold. Nisab is set against precious metal: the classic measures are an amount of gold (often given as around 87.48 grams) and a larger amount of silver (often given as around 612.36 grams). You convert these to today’s market value to find the cash threshold. The silver-based figure is lower, so using it brings more people into giving and is the cautious choice.
- Hawl (the lunar year) — that wealth must remain in your possession, at or above nisab, for one complete lunar (hijri) year. A lunar year is about eleven days shorter than a solar year, so the test is tied to the hijri calendar, not the Gregorian one.
What Is Zakatable, and How to Work Out the Figure
Broadly, zakat falls on growing or liquid wealth, not on the things you use day to day. Items that are normally counted include:
- Cash on hand and balances in your accounts.
- Gold and silver (the standard practical view counts these whether kept as savings or worn).
- Trade goods and merchandise held for sale, valued at current price.
- Money lent out or owed to you that you reasonably expect to recover.
Items that are normally not counted include your residence, personal clothing, household furniture, your car, and the tools of your trade — the ordinary necessities of living.
To estimate the figure: on your chosen zakat date each hijri year, total your zakatable assets, subtract debts that are immediately due, and check the result against the nisab value. If it is at or above nisab and a full lunar year has passed, the zakat due is 2.5 per cent of that net total. The app’s Zakat calculator can do this arithmetic for you once you enter your assets and the current metal prices.
Bohra Practice, and Confirming Your Calculation
For Dawoodi Bohras, zakat is rendered within the framework of the community, and the believer also gives other dues and wajibat to the establishment of the Dai al-Mutlaq. Because the precise treatment of particular assets, the rate of metal used for nisab, and the proper channel and timing of payment can carry details specific to our practice, you should not rely on a generic online figure alone for your final obligation.
This guide is a study aid to help you understand the principle; it is not a ruling on your personal case. The authoritative method is the community Mansak and the guidance of those appointed over it, so please confirm your nisab, your zakatable total, and how to render your zakat and wajibat with your aamil saheb. Treat the app’s calculator as a helpful estimate, and let your aamil settle anything that is unclear.
See also: Fiqh Al Zakat, Sadaqat Al Fitr Guide, Five Pillars Of Islam, Ramadan Guide