Zakat is the fourth of the five Pillars of Islam. It is an obligatory act of charity that is payable by all qualifying Muslims which equates to 2.5% of expendable wealth. It is then distributed amongst the poor and needy. This responsibility is part of a Muslim’s service to Allah (SWT), pleasing Him and purifying one’s own wealth.
Umm-Al-Qura Rabi‘ al-awwal 7, 1444
Pay Zakat with Children of Adam
Zakat is the fourth of the five Pillars of Islam. It is an obligatory act of charity that is payable by all qualifying Muslims which equates to 2.5% of expendable wealth. It is then distributed amongst the poor and needy.
Zakat Donations
A Zakat donation is so much more than any other act of charity. This annual payment is due exactly one lunar (hawl) year after your personal wealth exceeds the nisab threshold (which is the point at which your wealth qualifies for Zakat). This payment can be used for a wide range of purposes, from providing shelter to those without a place to call home, food for the hungry and medical care for the sick, amongst others.
The rate of Zakat one Muslim pays may be different to that which someone else pays. This is because Zakat is calculated on individual excess wealth based on the value of either silver or gold. For this reason, knowing how to work out Zakat and how much you need to pay can be confusing. To make it easier, we have implemented our Zakat calculator which will enable you to work out and pay Zakat that is due.
How to Donate Zakat
Once the Zakat Calculator has been completed, you can automatically pay Zakat online through the simple click of a button. If you are not ready to pay your Zakat, possibly because you have not yet reached a full lunar year, you can utilise the tool as a means of simply working out how much you can expect to pay once you have reached the end of the hawl.
If you are ready to pay, you can give Zakat to Children of Adam to use in conjunction with qualifying campaigns. Our team will ensure that your payment is distributed fairly and accordingly as per the pre-determined rules set out by the Holy Qur’an.
Who is Eligible for Zakat?
To qualify to receive a Zakat payment, a beneficiary must fall within at least one of the following eight categories:
- Poor
- In need
- Registered Zakat collectors
- Revert Muslims in need
- Those in debt
- Fighting the cause of Allah (SWT)
- Muslims who are stranded
- Those being held against their will (slavery)
As well as each of the above categories, there are other limitations on who can receive Zakat. These mostly apply to family relations as a Muslim may not give their Zakat payment to someone they are already responsible for (such as their wife, children and parents). The only real exception to this rule is that a wife may give her Zakat charity payment to her husband as, per Islamic tradition, she is not expected to be financially responsible for him.
Zakat should not be paid for religious duties, such as the building of a mosque. This is not regarded as fighting the cause of Allah as this is more geared towards soldiers that are engaged in conflict. Children of Adam runs the Sponsor a Prayer Space which qualifies as Sadaqah Jariyah, a voluntary form of charity that can be paid to us by our supporters.
Paying Zakat
To qualify to pay Zakat, your wealth must meet the nisab value as per either the silver or gold values and be:
- Above the age of puberty
- Of sound mind
- Have wealth that meets/exceeds the nisab value for one full hawl (lunar year)
Children are not required to be Zakat as they are neither above the age of puberty or have their own source of income. To calculate how much to pay, you can use our Zakat Calculator which automatically works out how much is payable on your personal wealth. The calculator will ask you to input several variables, such as:
- The value of gold in your possession
- The value of silver in your possession
- Money kept in bank accounts and in cash
- Cash deposited for future purposes
- Cash given in loans
- The value of other investments you may have
- Value of stock in your name
- Liabilities such as borrowed money/items on credit, wages owed to employees and bills (tax, rent and utilities)
Paying Zakat
Your Zakat donation will be distributed to those most in need both here in the United Kingdom and around the world in communities we work with. We will connect those most deserving with the help and support they need.
As a registered and recognised Zakat charity, it is our responsibility to ensure that your payment is used as per Islamic guidelines. Giving your Zakat will mean you receive the rewards and benefits that come with fulfilling this religious obligation, purifying your wealth and helping your fellow brothers and sisters.
And establish prayer and give Zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah.”
(2:110, Qur'an)
Ramadan appeals, making a difference
Zakat FAQs
If you’re unsure about Zakat, read our FAQs for more information.
Before the Eid al-Fitr prayer at the end of Ramadan, every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of their needs must pay zakat al-fitr for themselves. The head of household can also pay on behalf of their dependants such as children, servants and elderly relatives.
The head of the household is responsible for paying zakat al-fitr for all dependants Zakat al-fitr can be paid during Ramadan, before Eid al-Fitr prayers at the latest, so that the poor can enjoy the day of Eid.
The minimum amount due is the equivalent of about 2 kg of wheat flour, rice or other staple foodstuff, for each member of the household, including children and dependants – even if they do not live in the same house. A safe estimate is approximately £5/US$7 per head.
Recipients of zakat al-Fitr are the poor and those in need, who are entitled to receive general zakat. Islamic Relief acts as your charitable agent, using your zakat al-fitr to buy and distribute food on your behalf.
When you have worked out how much Zakat you are due to pay, you must pay it once a year. There are strict criteria on who you can pay your Zakat to, including:
- Those living in poverty (Fakir)
- Those who live in hunger (Miskin)
- Those living in confinement/slavery (Riqab)
- Those living with excess debt (Gharmin)
- Those who are new to Islam or friendly with the community (Muallaf)
- Those who become stranded or unsupported whilst travelling (Ibnus Sabil)
- Those who advocate for the cause of Allah (Fisabilillah)
- Those who distribute Zakat through charity work (Amil)
There are people who may fit into one of the above categories but who cannot receive your Zakat, including:
- Dependents (children and wives)
- Immediate family (parents and grandparents)
The nisab is the minimum value of personal wealth a person must obtain before they pay Zakat. When working out if you exceed the nisab for Zakat 2021, you will need to work out the worth of 2.5% of your excess wealth against the value of 612.36 grams of silver and 87.48 grams of gold. The Zakat nisab value fluctuates from year to year to reflect the value of silver and gold. Should your wealth meet and exceed the nisab threshold, you must hold said wealth for a full Hawl/Islamic (lunar) year before you are required to pay Zakat.
Should you meet the nisab threshold, you will be required to donate a Zakat percentage of 2.5% of your excess wealth. This is regardless of where in the world you live. When working out your Zakat, you will be required to pay:
- Zakat on money on your person
- Zakat on cash in bank
- Zakat on gold/silver in your possession
- Zakat on investments such as shares and stocks
- Zakat on second homes/cars
You do not need to pay Zakat on the house in which you reside, your first car, your business premises or your bills and monthly outgoings.
The amount of Zakat you pay will depend not only on your personal finances but on whether you choose to pay your Zakat in line with the value of gold or silver.
You can donate Zakat at any time of the year, although many people choose to do so during the last 10 days of Ramadan as it is said the rewards for giving during this time are greater than at any other time of year. This is due to Laylat ul-Qadr (or the Night of Power) when it is believed that the first revelations of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to the Prophet (PBUH) - while it is widely assumed this to be the 27th night of Ramadan, others believe this could be any of the odd-numbered nights in the last 10 nights of the month.
You can donate Zakat in one lump sum or in multiple stages, although you must give with the intention of it being for Zakat otherwise it will not count.
No, every Muslim must pay Zakat ul-Fitr (Fitrana) before Eid prayers commence, whereas only eligible Muslims will pay Zakat and it can be paid at any time of the year.
You can give Zakat to your family provided they are not financially dependent on you (your child) and you do not have an obligation to provide for them (your wife/parents/grandparents). So, a father and mother cannot give Zakat to their son or daughter, you cannot give Zakat to your parents or grandparents, and a husband cannot give Zakat to his wife.
A wife can give Zakat to her husband because he is not financially dependent on her, but he must fit into one of the listed criteria. Siblings and aunts/uncles/cousins may also receive your Zakat if they fit into one of the criteria listed.
Yes, Zakat can be given at any time of year, although the last 10 days of Ramadan are a popular time to give because of the rewards of giving during this holy time.
No, Zakat cannot be donated to build a mosque because it is not listed as one of the criteria for which Zakat may be given. Buildings of any type are not permissible causes.
The moment your wealth surpasses the nisab threshold, you are eligible to pay Zakat provided you sustain said wealth for a full lunar year. For example, if your wealth exceeds the nisab threshold in June, falls below the threshold throughout the year but exceeds it again by the following June, you are eligible to pay Zakat. If you exceed the nisab threshold in June but your wealth dips below it and does not recover by the following June, you are not eligible to pay Zakat.