QA-ID-0033
QUESTION
If someone hasn’t paid zakaat all his life and now wants to pay it. He looks back at his bank statements to see how much he had many years ago how does he work out the nisaab for when it was due?
For example he opened his bank account in 1st November 2009 and he had 150 in his savings on 1st November 2010 how does one work out what the nisaab is to then know if zakaat was fardh upon him
ANSWER
﷽
In your situation, begin by determining the age of puberty. If uncertain, consider the age of 12 as a starting point. Next, review your bank statements and reflect on any cash you’ve possessed from that age onward. Examine each year individually. Once you’ve pinpointed the first year in which you reached the nisāb amount (see below), record that date (which can be converted to the Islamic date using online tools); this becomes your annual zakāt date.
If, from that date until the following year, you’ve maintained or exceeded the nisāb amount (including gold, silver, and trade goods), you’re obligated to pay 2.5% zakāt on the entire sum. Note down the zakāt amount for year 1, and repeat this process for each subsequent year, subtracting all previously unpaid zakāt amounts (refer to the example at the bottom).
Once you’re up to date, settle all outstanding zakāt payments and seek forgiveness from Allah for the delay in fulfilling your zakāt obligations.
To determine the nisāb amount on the earliest possible zakāt date, research historical silver gram prices for each missed zakāt year online. Calculate the average silver gram price for any given year and multiply it by 612 (the nisāb of silver in grams). The resulting figure represents the minimum threshold amount required to estimate approximately when you became the owner of the nisāb.
It is not acceptable to use the Gregorian date (November). You must use the Islamic date.
Example of deducting unpaid zakāt amounts from subsequent years:
Year 1: total of all zakātable assets = £10,000. Zakat = £250
Year 2: total of all zakātable assets = £10,000 – £250 (year 1 zakāt owed) = £9,750. Zakat = £243.75
Year 3: total of all zakātable assets = £10,000 – £250 (year 1 zakāt owed) – £243.75 (year 2 zakāt owed) = £9,506.25. Zakāt = £237.66
And so on.
والله تعالى أعلم
And Allāh Knows Best
Muhammad Kalim Misbahi
