Zakāt on crops becomes wajib only when the production...

Zakāt on crops becomes wajib only when the production reaches the minimum nisāb (the specific amount or quantity on which zakāt becomes wājib). The nisāb for each of the four crops mentioned above is 846 k.g. So if you produce less than 846 k.g. of wheat, then there is no zakāt on you. The amount you have to pay as zakāt tax depends on the methods used for watering the crops: • if the farm was watered by a river or by rain, then you have to pay 10% of the total crop.

●if the farm was watered by drawing water from a well or by using modern machines, then you have to pay 5% of the total crop. So if you produced 100,000 k.g. of wheat and you had watered your farm through a near-by river, then you have to pay 10,000 k.g. wheat as zakāt. But if you used modern technology to water your farm, then you have to pay 5,000 k.g. wheat as zakāt.

(B) Zakātu ’L-Fitra: Sharing On The Day Of ‘Iddu ’L-Fitr: Besides the zakāt mentioned above on the natural resources, Islam has introduced a zakāt common to all affluent people on the occasion of `iddu 'l-fitr, the celebration which occurs after the end of Ramadhān. This zakāt is known as zakātu 'l-fitra. By “affluent” we mean anyone who can provide the necessary expenses of his self and his dependents for a year.

The amount to be paid depends the one's eating habits and the number of his dependents. One has to pay three kilos of wheat or rice (or its market value) on behalf of himself and each of his dependents. So if a person has a wife and three children, then he must pay fifteen kilos of wheat or rice, or its monetary value. It becomes due on the eve of `Iddul 'l-fitr and must be paid before one performs the special salāt of `idd.

This zakāt is to be paid to the poor and the needy so that they may be able to share in the happiness and joy of the day of `iddu 'l-fitr. 3. Recommended Zakāt All other forms of charity are considered as sunnat zakāt or sunnat sadaqah. The levels of voluntary charity has already been discussed in the previous lesson.

Here I would like to mention one more sunnat zakāt: If a business man buys certain merchandise for investment and it remains in his inventory for a full year, then it is recommended that he should pay the zakāt on that particular merchandise at the rate of 2.5% of its market value. This recommendation is applicable only if the value of that merchandise is at least equal to 69 grams of gold. 4.

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