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Should delayed salaries that have not yet been received but are due be included in the calculation of Zakatable wealth?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Darulifta-Deoband.com
Asalamualaykum Mufti Sahab, I love you for the sake of Allah (swt). I am salaried class and my questions are related to confusions in zakat and its calculations. Q1) I normally take a cut off date (usually 1st of Ramadhan) and calculate zakaat on my cash balance in my savings a/c?s. It is practically impossible for me to calculate how much of my savings have been with me for more than a year as the balance keeps on fluctuating as per my usage. The balance and savings are not much as I am salaried class but are more than the nisab value. This may lead to zakaat being calculated over the amount which has yet not completed one year in my savings. Is this acceptable? Q2) Due to prevailing recession my salaries are delayed from my employer. Now, I did my calculation of zakaat for this year on 23-08-09. On this day, my salaries for the months of May 2009, June 2009, July2009 were due for payment but not received. I would have probably had it in my savings had I received it on time. Do I have to include these amounts in my zakatable wealth? Q3) Similar to Q2, my bonus money for the year 2007-2008 is due for payment from my employer since 01-01-2009 but I am yet to receive it. Do I have to include this amount in my zakatable wealth? Q4) Similar to Q3, my bonus money for the year 2008-2009 will be due for payment on 01-01-2010 but on 23-09-08 (date on which I calculated this years zakaat) some portion of this amount had become due (about 65%). Do I have to include this amount in my zakatable wealth.? Q5) In my family and cousins there are many people who are financially weak but are reluctant to accept zakaat due to social reasons. Their fathers were wealthy and had fame but they are now poor. So they do not want to accept zakaat as according to them it will spoil their image. If I offer them loan or general help, for example if I give them money and tell them ?return it if you are able to in future? they will accept the money. Can I give them zakaat money and not tell them it is zakaat money?. Is it mandatory to tell them that this is zakaat money that I am giving you. Q6) Can I calculate my zakaat now and payoff partly in Ramadhan and partly in coming 2-3 months.?? Q7) If my zakatable wealth is Rs X and I have a dept of Rs Y, then the 2,5% is to be calculated on Rs X or Rs(X minus Y)?? Please reply as soon as possible. JazakAllah Khaire.

Answer

(Fatwa: 1879/D=301/k=1430)

(1)    It is right method which should be followed, i.e. give Zakah from all the balance which is in your possession at the time of the completion of the year, though you have recently received some money.

(2)    Yes, the salary of the months which is due should also be given its Zakah, or you can give its zakah when you receive it.

(3)    Bonus is not salary but it is a prize. So it will be calculated after it is received, i.e. it shall be calculated in next year’s balance. While calculating Zakah this year, when you did not get it, Zakah is not wajib on this year’s amount (bonus). It has a different ruling if compared to salary.

(4)    It has the same ruling as no. 3

(5)    If he deserves Zakah you can give him Zakah amount with the name of gift. It is not necessary to tell him that it is Zakah money; however it is necessary to confirm that he is entitled to receive Zakah. Zakah will not be paid by “giving in the name of loan” or by saying “you can return it when you are able”. Therefore you should give them in the name of gift and help.

(6)    Yes, you can do so, but delaying without any valid reason is not good.

(7)    Yes, the debt amount shall be deducted from the total capital (in order to pay zakah).

Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best

Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband

This answer was collected from the official ifta website of Darul Uloom Deoband in India.

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