Zakat Eligibility

The nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must possess before Zakat becomes obligatory. It is equivalent to the value of 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver. Most scholars and charities use the silver value because it is lower, thereby allowing more Muslims to qualify to pay Zakat and increasing support to the poor.

To calculate your nisab, check the current market price of silver per gram and multiply it by 612.36. If your total zakatable assets are equal to or above that amount, and you’ve held them for a full lunar year, Zakat is due. Zakatable assets include cash, savings, gold, silver, business goods, and certain investments. Personal belongings such as your house, car, or clothes are not included.

The nisab value fluctuates daily based on the market, so it's important to check the rate near your Zakat due date. You can find the latest nisab values on trusted Islamic charity websites. At Global Helping Hands, we provide Zakat calculators and guidance to help you determine whether you’ve reached the nisab. Once you do, paying 2.5% becomes an obligation. We ensure that your Zakat is distributed with transparency and urgency to the people who are entitled to it under Islamic law.

Hawl refers to the passage of one full lunar year (approximately 354 days) during which your zakatable wealth remains above the nisab threshold. Zakat becomes due when this year is completed.

The countdown begins from the day your wealth first reaches or exceeds the nisab. If at any point your wealth drops below the nisab and remains there for the rest of the year, Zakat is no longer due. However, if your wealth falls below nisab briefly but recovers before the year ends, most scholars still consider the hawl intact, and Zakat remains obligatory at the end of that year. Your Zakat due date is specific to when your wealth reached nisab, not based on Ramadan or any fixed calendar date, unless it coincides.

Many Muslims choose to pay in Ramadan for the increased reward, but they should not delay Zakat past their actual due date. If unsure about your Zakat anniversary, it’s best to estimate conservatively or consult a scholar. At Global Helping Hands, we encourage Muslims to track their hawl and pay Zakat on time. We distribute Zakat in cash to eligible recipients in over 20 countries, ensuring it reaches the poor when they need it most.

Zakat is only obligatory on adult, sane Muslims. Children and those who are mentally unfit are not required to pay it.

The elderly, however, must pay Zakat if they meet the conditions: they possess wealth above the nisab and have held it for a full lunar year. Being retired or unemployed does not exempt someone from Zakat. What matters is the amount and duration of wealth, not the source. If a non-working person has savings, gold, or other zakatable assets above the nisab, Zakat is due.

Regarding children’s wealth, scholars differ. The Hanafi school holds that children are not liable for Zakat, even if they own wealth. The Shafi’i and Maliki schools argue that if a child has zakatable wealth, their guardian should pay Zakat from their assets.

Practically, many families pay on behalf of their children to ensure the obligation is fulfilled. In today’s context, people often assume Zakat doesn’t apply to them because they are not earning. But if your total zakatable wealth—like savings, investments, or valuable items—meets or exceeds the nisab for a year, Zakat must be paid. At Global Helping Hands, we assist families and individuals in calculating Zakat correctly and ensuring that it reaches those most in need.

Whether you need to pay Zakat while in debt depends on the type and amount of debt. If your short-term debts significantly reduce your wealth below the nisab threshold, you may be exempt.

These include immediate obligations like rent due, utility bills, credit card balances, or personal loans due soon. However, long-term debts—such as a mortgage or a multi-year business loan—are generally not deducted in full. Scholars recommend subtracting only the instalments due in the upcoming year. If, after deducting these liabilities, your zakatable wealth still meets or exceeds the nisab, you are still required to pay Zakat. Being in debt doesn’t automatically exempt you.

Many people carry debt while also having significant savings or assets. Zakat calculation should reflect your actual financial standing, not just the existence of debt. If you genuinely cannot pay due to financial hardship, you are not liable until your situation improves. At Global Helping Hands, we can help you assess your debts properly and calculate Zakat accordingly. Remember, paying Zakat brings barakah (blessing) into your wealth, even in times of difficulty.

Fluctuations in wealth throughout the year are normal and do not cancel your Zakat obligation, as long as your wealth remains above the nisab threshold on your Zakat due date.

Once your wealth initially reaches the nisab and stays above it for one full lunar year (hawl), Zakat becomes due—even if the amount fluctuated during that year. If, however, your wealth drops below the nisab and stays below it for a significant period, the hawl resets from the next time your wealth rises above the nisab. Scholars differ slightly on how long it must drop below for a reset, but most agree that a temporary dip does not affect the Zakat cycle.

You should not delay Zakat payment because of short-term changes in income or spending. On your due date, calculate all your zakatable assets—cash, savings, gold, investments—and deduct short-term liabilities. If your remaining balance is still above the nisab, pay 2.5%.

At Global Helping Hands, we can help you calculate accurately, ensuring your Zakat reaches the most vulnerable families in countries like Syria, Palestine, and Uganda, regardless of how your wealth fluctuated over the year.

Zakat is not directly charged on income like a salary tax. Instead, it applies to the wealth you retain after one lunar year, not every payment you receive. So if you earn a salary, rent, or freelance income, Zakat is only due on what you save and hold beyond your basic needs—and only if it exceeds the nisab threshold.

Zakatable income becomes subject to Zakat once it has been in your possession for a year and remains above the threshold. However, many people simplify this by choosing a fixed Zakat date annually and paying Zakat on their current total wealth, regardless of when it was earned. This is acceptable and encouraged to maintain consistency.

Business profits, bonuses, and other income streams are also included if saved and not spent on necessities. If your income fluctuates, only what you retain counts. Zakat is not due on your actual salary the day you receive it—it is due on what remains in savings after a year.

At Global Helping Hands, we make this process easier with tools and calculators to help Muslims fulfil their duty clearly and confidently.

Students are required to pay Zakat if they meet the same conditions as any other adult Muslim.

This means owning zakatable wealth above the nisab and holding it for one lunar year. Whether or not you’re studying is irrelevant—Zakat is based on your financial status, not your life stage. Many students receive large gifts, hold savings, or invest in crypto or gold. If these assets stay above the nisab and are held for a full year, Zakat is due. Student loans do not cancel this obligation unless they are immediate debts and reduce your available wealth below the nisab.

For example, a tuition fee that’s due soon could be deducted when calculating your net wealth, but long-term repayments usually don’t exempt you. Scholarships, stipends, or part-time earnings are only zakatable if saved and not spent. If you live at home or have low expenses, you might still reach the threshold through savings. At Global Helping Hands, we advise students to review their financial position carefully. Zakat remains an obligation if you meet the criteria, regardless of whether you’re employed full-time, studying, or not earning consistently.

Zakat should be paid as soon as it becomes due, which is after one lunar year from when your wealth reached the nisab. However, Islam recognises hardship, and if you genuinely cannot pay due to financial difficulty, delay is allowed until you're able. This must not be done out of negligence or lack of planning.

If you're struggling with cash flow but have other zakatable assets like gold or business stock, you are still required to pay—either in kind or by selling some of the assets. If you can only pay partially, it is acceptable to pay in instalments or gradually clear the amount as soon as possible. Deliberate delays without reason are not allowed and can be sinful. You must track your obligation and fulfil it when you're able. Paying Zakat is a form of spiritual and material purification. Even in difficulty, many find that fulfilling this duty opens doors to unexpected ease and blessings.

At Global Helping Hands, we support donors with flexible payment options and guidance to help you fulfil your Zakat correctly and without unnecessary stress.

If you were eligible to pay Zakat in past years but didn’t, whether due to ignorance or neglect, you are still required to make up those missed payments.

Zakat is not waived by unawareness—it remains a debt between you and Allah. Start by reviewing your financial history. For each year, estimate your zakatable assets and calculate 2.5% of that value. If records are missing, make your best estimate and be generous to ensure full repayment. There’s no limit to how far back you need to go.

Even if it’s 10 or 20 years, the unpaid Zakat must be repaid. You can pay it all at once or in manageable instalments. Intend with each payment that it is for missed Zakat. Repentance should also accompany the repayment. Allah is Merciful and accepts sincere repentance and effort.

Don’t delay once you realise. At Global Helping Hands, we can guide you through calculating missed Zakat and ensure your payment is distributed correctly and ethically to eligible recipients.

No, Zakat is not due on wealth that you do not own, even if it’s held in your name or under your control.

If you're safeguarding money, managing funds for someone else, or temporarily holding wealth in trust, you are not required to pay Zakat on it. Zakat is only obligatory on assets that you have full ownership and control over. However, if the line between ownership and guardianship is unclear—like with shared accounts or family funds—it’s important to clarify and only pay Zakat on your rightful share.

If you’re holding someone else’s wealth and it generates profit or benefit for you, then the part that benefits you may be zakatable. For example, a business partnership where you manage the funds and also earn profit would require more detailed evaluation. Guardians, trustees, or agents managing wealth for children, charities, or organisations are not liable for Zakat unless they also benefit from the wealth. At Global Helping Hands, we encourage donors to be careful and transparent in their calculations. Only what truly belongs to you should be assessed for Zakat.

Yes, Zakat is a universal obligation for all eligible Muslims—regardless of nationality, location, or whether they live in a Muslim-majority country.

The conditions for Zakat are based on personal wealth, not geography. Whether you live in the UK, Syrian Refgees, Uganda, or the US, you must pay Zakat if your wealth meets or exceeds the nisab for a lunar year. Living in a non-Muslim country does not remove this responsibility. In fact, in places without formal Zakat collection systems, the individual’s duty becomes even more important. Many Muslims living in the West assume Zakat isn’t relevant, but the conditions still apply.

Incomes are often higher and savings more common, which means many are liable without realising it. There is no exemption based on economic system or government policy. Zakat remains a personal duty, and it’s your responsibility to calculate and pay it properly. At Global Helping Hands, we assist Muslims from all backgrounds in fulfilling this global obligation by distributing Zakat directly to the poor—especially in crisis areas where your support is needed most.