Assalaam o Alaikum wrwb,
Respected Mufti Sahab,
I have a question about payment of Zakat. One has not paid Zakaat on cash-in-hand for previous few years and he wants to pay them now. He has done the calculation in cash value for the Zakaat that is due on him, but since the value of money usually declines due to inflation, so he is not sure how to incorporate the inflation figure in this payment.
Should he pay the exact amount of cash that was actually due last year or try to find the gold equivalent of that value when the Zakaat was due and convert it into cash based on today’s cash equivalent of that gold value.
Remember me in duas
Jazaak Allah khayr
Answer
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykumwa-rahmatullāhiwa-barakātuh.
When zakat is due upon an individual, it should be paid immediately. To delay in paying zakat is a sin. For that, one should make taubah and istighfaar.
Nevertheless, if one did not pay zakat in the past, the exact amount due at that time is payable now. The inflation on the amount will not be considered. If the person wants to contribute an extra amount on the exact amount due, he may do so.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.