Question
Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. I own a commercial building. How do I pay Zakat for this building considering that my property does not last for a year? The goods in the building are currently valued at 5000 dinars. Is it compulsory for me to pay Zakat if I am indebted? أنا مديون فهل تجارتي عليها زكاة؟
Answer
ترجمة جواب الفتوى: Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions. Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As to what follows: In response to your question, we say: The way to give Zakat is that you should specify a day in the year for giving Zakat. For example, you may set this as the beginning of Muharram or Ramadan. Then you should calculate the value of your stock and give Zakat on it. For example, if your stock is valued at 4000 dinars, your Zakat is 100 dinars. In your case it is not imperative that a year should pass while you are in possession of the goods because what is considered in trade goods is the value of the goods not the goods themselves. If the value of the goods has reached nisab, it is compulsory for you to give Zakat, even if you are indebted. A debt does not make the compulsoriness of Zakat fall away.
ترجمة جواب الفتوى: Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions. Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As to what follows: In response to your question, we say: The way to give Zakat is that you should specify a day in the year for giving Zakat. For example, you may set this as the beginning of Muharram or Ramadan. Then you should calculate the value of your stock and give Zakat on it. For example, if your stock is valued at 4000 dinars, your Zakat is 100 dinars. In your case it is not imperative that a year should pass while you are in possession of the goods because what is considered in trade goods is the value of the goods not the goods themselves. If the value of the goods has reached nisab, it is compulsory for you to give Zakat, even if you are indebted. A debt does not make the compulsoriness of Zakat fall away.
