can feed a family for the month of Ramadan
can provide water for a displaced family living in a camp
can help provide a sustainable livelihood to an orphan and their family
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What is Zakat?
Zakat (zakaat, zakah), or almsgiving, is one of the five pillars of Islam. This means that Zakat is mandatory for Muslims, along with the other four sacred pillars of prayer (salah), fasting (sawm), pilgrimage (Hajj) and belief in Allah and His Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) (shahadah). For every sane, adult Muslim who owns wealth over a certain amount – known as the Nisab – he or she must pay 2.5% of that wealth as Zakat.
“…and those in whose wealth there is a recognised right, for the needy and deprived” (Qur’an 70:24-5)
Eligible Muslims pay Zakat once a year, and it is due as soon as one lunar (Islamic) year has passed since meeting or exceeding the Nisab (certain amount of wealth). The Zakat of every Muslim is then distributed to those who meet the criteria to receive it. At Islamic Relief, your Zakat is distributed with the utmost care to ensure that the most vulnerable, including children, those affected by war, disease and climate disasters, have access to the help that they need.
Donate Zakat Now.
What is Nisab?
The nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must possess before they become eligible to pay Zakat. This amount is often referred to as the nisab threshold.
Gold and silver are the two values used to calculate the nisab threshold. The nisab is the value of 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver.
Current Nisab threshold (as of 01/04/2022):
Using value of silver (612,36 grams) – approximately €441.33
Using value of gold (87.48 grams) – approximately €4,897.04
Zakat: A sacred pillar
Zakat is not just a fundamental pillar of Islam. It is also a revolutionary concept with the potential to ease the suffering of millions around the world.
As Allah (SWT) tells us in the Holy Qur’an:
“And be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity: And whatever good ye send forth for your souls before you, ye shall find it with Allah” (Qur’an 2:110)
It is also a right that the poor have over us as for
“Those in whose wealth there is a recognised right for the needy and the poor” (Qur’an 70:24-25)
Picture this: if just the ten richest people in the world paid Zakat – that would be a staggering €8 billion! The power of that money in tackling poverty would be huge.
At Islamic Relief, we use your Zakat in the most effective way possible to relieve the suffering of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Donate Your Zakat: Your donations enable us to save lives
Your Zakat has funded some of our crucial work with people and communities living in disaster and war zones: drought and famine-struck countries across East Africa and communities affected by conflict in Syria. Your generosity has enabled communities to build sustainable livelihoods in the face of climate change, and enabled better lives for vulnerable orphans and families across the globe.
Alhamdulillah, you have the power to transform people’s lives.
What is Fitrana?
Fitrana is a charitable donation of food that is given before Eid prayer, therefore it must be given before the end of Ramadan. Fitrana must be given by every self-supporting Muslim who has food in excess of their needs, on behalf of themselves and their dependants.
How much is Zakat?
Your Zakat donation should amount to 2.5% of your total zakatable wealth. Therefore, if your total assets (after any debts owed) amounted to €10,000, you would pay €250. Use our free and easy Zakat Calculator to calculate how much you owe.
Zakat FAQs
Do non-Muslims have to pay Zakat?
No, zakat is only prescribed for Muslims.
Who is eligible to receive Zakat?
There are eight categories of people who are eligible to receive Zakat.
- The poor
- The needy
- Administrators of Zakat
- Those whose hearts have been recently reconciled
- Those who have been enslaved
- Those in debt
- In the cause of God
- Travellers (including refugees)
A poor person is someone whose property, in excess of his basic requirements, does not reach the nisab threshold. The recipient must not belong to your immediate family, therefore; your spouse, children, parents and grandparents cannot receive your zakat. Other relatives, however, can receive your zakat.
I owe several years of Zakat, how do I pay?
For every year that you owe Zakat, take 2.5% from the total wealth you had at the end of that year and pay that in Zakat. If you are not sure how much wealth you had, you must estimate it to the best of your ability. E.g. It is now Ramadan 2022. You have not paid Zakat for the last 5 years. You need to work out how much wealth you owned every Ramadan for the last 5 years and pay 2.5% of that.
Miscellaneous Questions
I normally give a lot of money in charity throughout the year, do I still have to pay Zakat?
You must pay zakat with the intention of paying it. Therefore, it is important that you make an intention to give a donation as a zakat payment.
I paid Zakat on €4,000 last Ramadan. This year I have a total of €10,000 of wealth liable to Zakat. What value do I take the 2.5% from as I paid for the €4,000 last year?
It is to be paid on the total savings regardless of what was paid on it in the past. Therefore, you would pay 2.5% of €10,000, €250.
Miscellaneous Questions: Saving and Jewellery
If a child’s wealth has satisfied all the conditions of Zakat (i.e. it is above the Nisab and has been in their possession for one year), should Zakat be paid on it?
The majority of the scholars from the past favoured the opinion that it should be paid. This is the same for both the child and the insane person. Therefore, their guardian should take the Zakat from the person’s wealth and pay it on their behalf. However, some opinion suggest that it is not due on children and insane people, so please discuss with a scholar.
I have mixed jewellery consisting of gold, silver and precious stones. How do I calculate the value on which Zakat must be paid?
The best way for you to do this would be to take the jewellery to a jeweller and ask them to value just the gold and silver parts of the jewellery. The valuations they give will be the total on which you have to pay Zakat. Precious stones are not liable for Zakat.
I have savings which I shall use to go for Hajj, is this to be included in my wealth when calculating Zakat?
Yes, it must be included.
Miscellaneous Questions: Debt
I bought a house for the purpose of renting 5 years ago. Last year I decided that I would sell the house. How do I pay Zakat on this?
For the time that you were renting the house out and did not have the intention of selling, you do not pay Zakat on the house. But you would still have to pay it on the rent you earned just like any other wealth you have. You must include it in Zakatable assets from the day you made the intention to sell the house. You must also pay it on the selling price of the house. However, if you are paying in advance, you would need to estimate this. You would need to do the same for every year after that in which the house is still for sale. But to be absolutely clear, please discuss this with a scholar.
I have a shop where I sell clothes. How do I pay Zakat?
Every year at the time of paying Zakat, you would need to calculate the total bulk selling price for all the goods for sale in your shop. E.g. All the clothes for sale in your shop add up to a total selling value of a particular sum of money. You would add this to your other zakatable wealth when calculating your total payment.