Answered by Shaykh Abu Usamah
What happens in the case below if on the same date the next year his balance is less than the nisab. He wont pay Zakah – yes – but when will he now consider his Zakah date ?
Al-Salam `Alaykum
Dear Brother,
1. When a mature person becomes the owner of the Nisab amount (e.g. $1200) for the first time his Zakah year begins. Thereafter on the same Islamic date the following year if he still possesses Nisab or more – notwithstanding any fluctuations in his balance during the course of the year – he must give Zakah for all the wealth he possesses at this time at the rate of 2.5%.
Understand this by way of an example:
24 Ramadan 1423 – A poor person receives $1200 as a gift. Balance = $ 1200
29 Ramadan 1423 – He purchases something Balance = $ 900
..
..
New Islamic Year
1 Muharram 1424 – He spends more money Balance = $ 600
..
..
1 Ramadan 1424 – He earns $ 1000 Balance=$ 1600
24 Ramadan 1424 – Zakah Evaluation Date Balance=$ 1600
Zakah is levied at 2.5% of $ 1600
I hope this helps.
2. If you are in USA at the time of Eid you must pay the Fitra amount there – not the Pakistani amount.
Fitra is wajib on every person – on behalf of himself and his minor children that he supports i.e. he must pay for each of them.
The origin of Fitra is the instruction of Rasulullah sallallahu `alayhi wasallam as recorded in many ahadith that half a sa` (a measurement used in those days, equivalent to approximately 3.2 kg) of wheat or a sa` of barley or dates be given. The monetary equivalent of this is the amount that we give in Fitra e.g. $ 10.
The wisdom behind the Fitra is also stated in a hadith recorded in Sunan Abi Dawud, ibn Majah and al-Darqutni that Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas r.a said:
“Rasulullah sallallahu `alayhi wasallam enjoined Sadaqa al-Fitr as a means of purification for the one who had fasted from any vain or obscene (talk or deed); and as a means of sustenance for the poor …”
In a narration reported by al-Bayhaqi Rasulullah sallallahu `alayhi wasallam is reported to have said: “Satisfy them (i.e. the poor) so that they do not beg on this day.”
And Allah Ta`ala Knows Best
Abu Usamah