The importance of timely zakat payment is well-recognized; Zakat al-mal is a due part of one’s wealth to be distributed in the prescribed manners set by Allah Almighty, and its distribution during Ramadan is a subject of differing opinions because zakat has a specific time for its obligation, which is upon the completion of one lunar year, whether during Ramadan or outside it.
In this article, we discuss the rulings related to Zakat al-mal in Ramadan, and whether it is obligatory to pay zakat during Ramadan.
Is it permissible to disburse Zakat al-mal in Ramadan?
Zakat al-mal relates to the completion of one lunar year. Muslim scholars unanimously require that zakat be paid on time based on the day the wealth reaches the nisab (minimum amount liable for zakat). If this day falls in Ramadan, zakat should be paid in the following Ramadan. However, if the completion date falls outside Ramadan, such as in Sha’ban, and the owner wishes to delay it to Ramadan, this is not permissible; zakat must be disbursed upon completion of the lunar year unless there is a valid reason or urgent need to do otherwise.
A query was addressed to the Permanent Committee for Fatwa regarding a man whose wealth reached the nisab in Rajab, and he wished to pay zakat in Ramadan. The response was: Zakat becomes obligatory for you in Rajab of the following year after you own the nisab. However, if you wish to pay it in the Ramadan of the year you reached the nisab, advancing it before the completion of the lunar year due to an urgent need, this is permissible. Delaying the payment to Ramadan after the completion year in Rajab is not permissible as it should be paid immediately upon the completion of the lunar year.
Merit and Rule of Zakat al-mal in Ramadan
In Ramadan, acts of generosity and charity are amplified. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was the most generous during Ramadan, especially when he met with Gabriel to study the Quran, becoming more charitable than a sent wind, as narrated by Ibn Abbas in Sahih al-Bukhari.
Charity in the blessed month of Ramadan is more virtuous than other times due to its rewards and merits.
However, the obligation to disburse Zakat al-mal is tied to the completion of one lunar year, and it is not permissible to delay or advance Zakat al-mal to Ramadan without a valid reason such as addressing an urgent need.
Amount of Zakat al-mal in Ramadan
The amount of Zakat al-mal in Ramadan is 2.5% after the wealth reaches the nisab and a lunar year has passed.
If the lunar year completes in Ramadan, it becomes obligatory to disburse “one-fourth of a tenth” of the total amount subject to zakat.
The nisab for Zakat al-mal is 85 grams of pure gold. If the wealth reaches this nisab and a lunar year pass, zakat becomes obligatory. If the nisab is completed in Ramadan, then zakat is due in Ramadan.
Methods for Calculating Zakat al-mal in Ramadan
To calculate Zakat al-mal in Ramadan, first, determine the amount of owned wealth and whether it reaches the nisab. Zakat can be calculated by knowing the market price of gold, multiplying it by 85, and the result will be the nisab for Zakat al-mal; from this, 2.5% is disbursed.
When to Disburse Zakat al-mal of Ramadan
Some Muslims prefer to pay Zakat al-mal in Ramadan due to its significant virtue, following the example of many companions like Uthman ibn Affan, who preferred to disburse zakat during Ramadan due to the immense rewards of the month.
The importance and timing of zakat distribution align with the needs of the recipients—it is obligatory for the poor, the needy, and those specified by Allah Almighty for receiving zakat, ensuring it meets their basic needs for food, clothing, and education.
How to Disburse Zakat al-mal in Ramadan
Zakat al-mal is to be disbursed by a free Muslim who owns the nisab amount by paying 2.5% after the completion of the lunar year.
It must be disbursed as cash from the same type of wealth (cash), and it is not permissible to disburse it as food during Ramadan.
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