Zakat on Crops and Fruits: Threshold and Calculation Method

Zakat on crops and fruits plays a crucial role in the Islamic zakat system, reflecting the principles of social solidarity and justice. Understanding its rulings and differentiating it from other types of zakat, along with grasping the criteria determining the crops subject to zakat and the methods of its calculation, is essential for deepening awareness of zakat’s rulings and its contributions to supporting the deserving groups.

Ruling on Zakat for Crops and Fruits and Its Conditions

Zakat is imposed on agricultural outputs such as barley, wheat, grapes, and olives, according to Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion. Its amount should be extracted from the fruits themselves, not their monetary value, at harvest time.

Is There Zakat on Agricultural Land?

Zakat is due on agricultural land designated for trade from its market value annually. However, if the land is prepared for farming, then its zakat is extracted from the crops that are subject to zakat.

The Difference Between Zakat on Crops and Fruits

Zakat on crops and fruits is imposed on what the earth produces of grains and fruits when the nisab is reached and at the time of harvest. The difference lies in the type of product and irrigation method; zakat on crops applies to grains like wheat and barley, while zakat on fruits applies to fruits like dates and grapes, with the zakat rate varying depending on irrigation and care methods used.

Types of Crops and Fruits Subject to Zakat

Scholars agree that zakat is obligatory on primary types of crops and fruits, including wheat, barley, dates, and raisins.

Conditions for Zakat on Crops and Fruits

Certainly, zakat on crops and fruits has necessary conditions for its obligation, among the most important are:

• The crops and fruits must be cultivated with human effort.
• The zakat payer must be Muslim.
• The produce reaches the nisab specified by the hadith “No zakat is due on less than five wasqs.”
• It must be among the types of grains and fruits that are measurable and storable.

Nisab for Zakat on Crops and Fruits

The zakat rate is set at a fixed measure based on the hadith of Prophet Muhammad PBUH conveyed by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, stating: “No zakat is due on less than five awaqs of silver, and no zakat is due on less than five camels, and no zakat is due on less than five wasqs.” This is equivalent to 653 kilograms of fruits or crops in our time.

How to Calculate Zakat on Crops and Fruits?

Zakat becomes obligatory on stored crops and fruits when they reach a specified nisab of five wasqs, equivalent to 653 kilograms. The amount of zakat varies based on the irrigation method; a tenth (10%) is applied to crops irrigated by rainwater, while half a tenth (5%) for those irrigated by machinery.

In the case of mixed irrigation methods, a tenth is extracted as a precaution, following the hadith: “For what is watered by the heavens and springs, or by rainfall, a tenth is due. And for what is watered by irrigation, half a tenth.”

The Prophet clarified that zakat is imposed when the fruit ripens and its edibility is apparent, like changing color to yellow or red. If the crop is sold before ripening, its zakat becomes the buyer’s responsibility.

Accounting for Irrigated Agricultural Crops

For each irrigation method, there’s a specific calculation:

• Zakat on crops irrigated naturally without cost, by rainwater or river water, is calculated at “a tenth,” meaning 10%.
• Crops irrigated through machinery or costly effort are estimated at “half a tenth,” meaning 5%.
• If irrigation methods are mixed between rainwater and specialized machinery, the zakat amount is “three-quarters of a tenth,” meaning 7.5%.

Are Expenses Deducted from Zakat on Crops?

Expenses and costs are not deducted from zakat on fruits and crops, as agreed by all four jurisprudential schools, supported by the Prophet’s saying, “half a tenth” for crops watered at expense, confirming the non-permissibility of deducting further costs without a legitimate reason.

Is It Permissible to Discharge Zakat on Crops in Cash?

It is religiously preferred to discharge the zakat of fruits in the same type rather than its monetary value. However, Ibn Taymiyyah points out exceptions allowing the discharge of value in cash for reasons of need, benefit, or justice, as in the case of selling fruit or crops for dirhams, where discharging a tenth of these dirhams suffices, exempting the zakat payer from purchasing fruit or wheat for the poor, thus ensuring equality and justice.

To Whom Are Zakat on Crops and Fruits Given, and Who Deserves It?

Zakat was ordained to meet the needs of the poor and ensure equality and justice among Muslims. Allah mentioned in His noble book the categories eligible for zakat, saying: (Charities are for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect [zakat], those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for slaves, for those in debt, in the cause of Allah, and for the [stranded] traveler – an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise) [At-Tawbah].

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