Zakaat on jewellery

Question

Dated: Tuesday, 13th June 2017

Dear Mufti Sahib

Assalamoalykum

SUBJECT: ZAKAT

I have two questions as below:

My wife has gold jewelry as per Nisaab. But she is a non-working wife & also she has no source of income. I myself is under some loan and have no good sources of income as well.

In this case is it mandatory for me to pay Zakat on my wife jewelry on her behalf? (Wife not able to pay)

If it’s mandatory to pay zakat then can my wife give zakat to her Nephew (sister’s son in Pakistan) for the expenses of his study in some technical college? Note that this nephew (18 years old) of my wife has no income & he is dependent on my wife’s brothers who are supporting him because the father of nephew separated from her wife (sister of my wife) & not supporting his son at all from the time of childhood. In this scenario is it ok to give zakat to him?

I will be highly obliged if you can reply the above questions at your convenience.

Shibly bin Mizan · Accepted Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

If your wife possesses gold equivalent to or more than the nisab amount, and she does not have any debts equivalent to the nisab amount or more, then she will have to pay the zakat on her jewellery 1. It is not mandatory for you to pay the zakat on her behalf 1. She can give the zakat to her nephew if he does not possess the nisab amount 2.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Shibly bin Mizan

Student Darul Iftaa
Toronto,Canada

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

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