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Is Zakat obligatory on such a loan knowing that the Creditor will not pay it back?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Askimam.org

Assalamu Alaikum.

I would appreciate your guidance on the following matter regarding zakat calculation. 

About 10 months ago, I loaned a certain sum to my friend, who was supposed to pay me back within 3 weeks. However, despite several reminders and requests, he didn’t give the money back. After a few more months, I was able to get back half of the money owed, but since then, there has been no effort on his part to pay back the remaining sum. 

Since it has already been a long time, I am not expecting the money back. However, I understand that one needs to include money lended in calculating his wealth for zakat. In this scenario, is the remaining sum that I am owed considered to be part of my wealth? 

Jazakallah

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

If one is owed money and he has exhausted all possible avenues to be paid and he is unsuccessful in that and he is now certain that he will not be paid, then in such a situation the loan amount is like non-existent. That amount will not be Zakatable.[i] 

And Allah Ta‘āla Knows Best

Mehrazur Rahman

Student Darul Iftaa

Brooklyn, NY, USA

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.


[i] (الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين، ج ٢، ص ٢٦٧)

 (أو) على (جاحد عليه بينة) وعن محمد لا زكاة، وهو الصحيح، ذكره ابن ملك وغيره

(قوله: وهو الصحيح) صححه في التحفة كما في غاية البيان وصححه في الخانية أيضا وعزاه إلى السرخسي بحر. وفي باب المصرف من النهر عن عقد الفرائد: ينبغي أن يعول عليه.

قلت: ونقل الباقاني تصحيح الوجوب عن الكافي قال: وهو المعتمد، وإليه مال فخر الإسلام اهـ ولذا جزم به في الهداية والغرر والملتقى وتبعهم المصنف. والحاصل أن فيه اختلاف

(الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين، ج ٢، ص ٣٤٤)

ومال الرحمتي إلى هذا وقال بل في زماننا يقر المديون بالدين وبملاءته ولا يقدر الدائن على تخليصه منه فهو بمنزلة العدم

(حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح، ص ٧١٦)

قوله: “أو على جاحد عليه بينة” تبع فيه العيني وفي النهر عن الخانية والتحفة صحح قول محمد بعدم الوجوب فيه لأن كل بينة لا تقبل ولا كل قاض يعدل

(فتاوي عثماني، ج ٢، ص ٤٦ و ٧٦) 

(امداد التفاوضي، ج ٢، ص ٦٣)

This answer was collected from Askimam.org, which is operated under the supervision of Mufti Ebrahim Desai from South Africa.

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