do the unemployed pay zakat ?

[sunni slave]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

Maulana sahib,

If one is unemployed for several years but has some savings, how does he calculate his annual zakat payment. I know he does give zakat every year during Ramadan of £100 but is it permissable in shariah if he/she is unemployed ?

P SHOAIB

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,


Jazakallah for your valued question on zakah.


All those people, who have savings, and a minimum income (nisab), are of a mature age, and are sane, and have enough money to live on then zakah is made obligatory (fard) on them.


The only people who do not pay zakah, are those people who are destitute, are studying away from home for the pleasure of Allah the Almighty, and are studying his religion (din), and other people who are poor, have no clothing, nor any shelter, nor food.


In this case, zakah will be payable to such people. In this day and age, because the unemployed can not be categorised in one of the above, then zakah is not payable to them, but by them, as they have the means to create a bank balance and have a regular income.


I hope that this answers the question that you have asked, and may Allah the Almighty give us all the tawfiq to pay zakah, in the correct means.



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab


M. Waseem Ashrafi