Answered by: Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
My friend has an auntie in Pakistan who needs money for an operation. He said that it can be zakāt eligible. Will that count? Even though it is 2 months earlier than I did my zakāt last year which was the end of Ramaḍān? Can you also explain how to calculate it!
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
If the auntie you refer to is poor, meaning she does not have the amount of money (niṣāb) that makes zakāh mandatory for her, then she can be given zakāh. Zakāh can also be discharged in advance. However, when the actual year comes to end, if there was a shortfall in the amount given, it should be discharged upon the year’s end. Zakāh is calculated by giving 2.5% of the total of all your wealth, assets, cash and savings, that are above your basic needs and necessities. – (See: Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 2, Page 259, Dār Al-Fikr1)
“The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ‘Omar, “We have taken this year’s Zakāt from Al-‘Abbās in the previous year.” – (Tirmidhī 679)2
Only Allāh knows best
Written by Maulana Yūsuf Badāt
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
1 سَبَبُ افْتِرَاضِهَا مِلْكُ نِصَابٍ حَوْلِيٍّ نِسْبَةً لِلْحَوْلِ لِحَوَلَانِهِ عَلَيْهِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين ج٢ /ص ٢٥٩ دار الفكر
2 عن علي رضي الله عنه أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال لعمر إنا قد أخذنا زكاة العباس عام الأول للعام – رواه الترمذي ٦٧٩