Nisaab for Gold & Silver – Dr Zakir Naik

Yusuf Chambers: Regarding the Prophetic tradition that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam), there is a Nisaab on gold and silver, could you explain that and is it the same in both cases gold and silver?

Dr. Zakir: As far as Nisaab for gold is concerned the Nisaab for gold is 85 grams of gold or 17½ tola gold i.e. 1 tola of gold is equal to 11.33 grams approximately. So 7½ tola of gold is equal to 85 grams of gold so if it reaches that Nisaab level or above this and if it stays with you for one year then Zakaat is compulsory.

Based on the Hadith of Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) which is mentioned in

Sunan Abu Dawud in the Book of Zakaat Vol. no. 2 Hadith no. 1568 where the beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said that

“Zakaat is on you i.e. on gold if it reaches 20 Dinaar.”

Zakaat is not there if its less than 20 Dinaar, if it reaches 20 Dinaar then Zakaat is Fard and one Dinaar is equal to one Miskal. One Miskal is 4 and a quarter grams so 20 by 4 and a quarter comes to 85 grams of gold so the Nisaab level for gold is 85 grams of gold and again it should be with you for one year and the percentage of Zakaat is mentioned in the Hadith of Ibn Maajah in the Book of Zakaat Hadith no. 1791 its mentioned that

“Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), she says that the Prophet used to take half dinaar for every 20 dinaar And one dinaar for every 40 Dinaar. That means 1/40th of the portion or percentage wise 2½%. So whatever gold do you have with you whether 85 grams of gold or above you have to give 2.5% of that gold if it is with you for one year in Zakaat.

As far as Nisaab for silver is concerned it is 595 grams of silver or 52½ tolas of silver and the percentage of Zakaat is the same it is 2½ %.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihe wa sallam) said in

Sahih Bukhari Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Zakaat Hadith no. 1447 that

“Zakaat is due on 5 Uqiya of silver”

One Uqiya is equal to 40 dirhams so 5 Uqiya is equal to 200 diraam and 200 diraam is equal to 595 grams or 52½ tola.

So if the silver reaches the Nisaab level, the Nisaab is 595 of gold or 52½ tola. And our beloved Prophet said in

Sunan Abu Dawud Vol. no. 2 in the Book of Zakaat Hadith no. 1567 that

“Pay 1/40th that means give 1/40th portion in Zakaat” So even for silver the percentage is 2½% so for gold and silver” Zakaat percent is 2½ percent, the nisaab level for gold is 85 grams of gold or 7½ tola and for silver the Nisaab is 595 grams of silver or 52½ tola of silver.

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