Answered by: Maulana Sibghat Ullah
Question
I have a question about zakat, may Allah bless you. My zakat date is 7 Safar. I was checking back through my accounts. I realised that by accident in 1437AH, I paid my zakat 5 days early thinking my zakat was due on 2 Safar (I had above the nisab value).
I have just checked now and it turns out on 7 Safar 1437 I was below the nisab value (I was in overdraft) I reached the nisab value again on 23 Rabi Al Awwal 1437.
Since then I have been paying zakat on 7 Safar every year (and have had above the nisab every year).
My question is, have I been paying zakat on the correct date or would the date have changed to 23 Rabi Awwal? And if not, how shall I rectify this error?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
You pay zakat when one Islamic lunar year after their threshold amount has come into a payer’s possession.
As long as you are in possession of wealth above the nisab threshold at the beginning and end of the zakat year, zakat will be payable, even if your wealth dipped during the year.
As far as paying zakat early is concerned then according to the Hanafis we can pay zakat early, but we have to keep the following rules:-
⦁ The nisab on which the zakat is paid, the year shall elapse on it.
⦁ At the end of the year, the nisab should be complete.
⦁ In the middle of the year, there should be no duration when the wealth has gone down from nisab level.
In your case, the time for your next zakat day will change to 23rd Rabiul Awal if you are above nisab level during the beginning and at the end of the year.
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Sibghat Ullah
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham