Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
How does one determine if one is eligible for receiving Zakat?
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
You are Zakat-eligible if:
You have less than a zakat-minimum, after deducting immediate expenses and debts that are due.
* The zakat-minimum is the monetary value of 87.48 g of gold.
* Immediate expenses are your upcoming living expenses for the month. Major upcoming expenses can be included, if due in the short-term.
* Debts: all debts are deducted, except long-term debts (such as mortgages or long-term financing) whose payment is not due within the year. (For such debts, only immediate payments would be deducted.)
Wassalam,
Faraz Rabbani