Answered by Mufti Yusuf Mullan
I have a question concerning zakah, you see I only became practising a few years ago of my life and before that I did not pay zakah, not because I didn’t want to or feel like, but because my parents said that it was their responsibility to pay it, so they used to pay our whole family’s zakah all together.
Wa alaikum salaam,
A condition for the validity and acceptance of the zakat payment is that it must be coupled with intention (either at the time of setting the money aside/handing it to the needy person, or upon handing it over to ones agent (wakeel)). Given this, the payments made by your parents on your behalf will not suffice, as your parents were doing this of their own accord without your appointing them. You will need to make a calculated assessment to the best of your ability of your zakat-payable assets over the years, paying on behalf of the total savings each year 2.5%.
For additional info in calculating zakat, view the numerous answers in the sunnipath archives regarding this.
And Allah knows best.
Yusuf Mullan