ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ

Muslims past the age of puberty and are of sound mind are eligible to pay ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ as long as they meet the required Nisab threshold.

In order to be eligible to pay ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ, your level of excess wealth must remain higher than the Nisab value for a full year. This is when your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ payment will be due.

Your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ payment is a compulsory act of worship which includes ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ on Gold.

Therefore, you need to pay 2.5% of the value on the Gold you own.

TheÌý Nisab - the minimum value of wealth one must possess for ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ to become payable - is defined as:

87.48g of gold

612.36g silver

You can base your Nisab on either the gold or silver amount. This is usually the equivalent value in your local currency. Most scholars favour the lower value (silver at present) as it means that more people can pay ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ and therefore more people can benefit.

ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ is due a year after your level of personal wealth has reached the Nisab threshold. In order to remain eligible to pay ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ, your level of excessÌýwealth should remain higher than the Nisab for a full lunar year.Ìý

For example, if your level of expendable wealth exceeds the total Nisab value in the month of Ramadan, your payment will not be due until the following Ramadan, so long as your personal wealth remains above the threshold.

If at any time your wealth drops below the level of Nisab, you would cease being eligible to give ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ. Once your wealth increases to the Nisab level, you would begin counting 12 lunar months from that point onwards.

The value of ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ is 2.5% of your personal excess wealth. This means that if your excess wealth comes to a value of £1,000, your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ payment would be £25.

ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ is due on:

• Gold and silver, including ornaments or jewellery containing gold and/or silver
• Cash held at home or in bank accounts
• Stocks and shares owned either directly or through investment funds
• Money lent to others
• Business stock in trade and merchandise
• Agricultural produce
• Livestock animals such as cows, goats and sheep
• Pensions
• Property owned for investment purposes

The easiest way to work out your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ is to use our ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ calculatorÌýto ensure that you pay the correct amount.

Our calculator allows you to input the total value of your cash savings,Ìýgold and silver and any business assets that you may own, as well as taking into account any unpaid debts you may have.

The categories of people/causes entitled to receive ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ are described in the Qur’an, 9:60,Ìý as:

• The Poor:ÌýThose receiving little or no income.
• The Needy: Someone who is struggling to meet their basic needs.
• Administrators of ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ: Those who are responsible for collecting, storing, guarding, registering and distributing ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ.
• Those Whose Hearts are to Be Reconciled: Those who are new to Islam.
• Those in Bondage: Freeing those who are enslaved/ held captive.
• Those in Debt: As long as the debts were not incurred through acts against Islamic law.
• In the Way of Allah: Promoting Islamic values.
• The Wayfarer:ÌýAnyone who is stranded whilst travelling or away from home and needs financial assistance – as long as they travelled for lawful purposes.

ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ can be paid in monthly instalments. To do this, divide the total amount of ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ owed by 12 and set up a regular payment with ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ specifying ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ as the type of donation.

Sponsoring an orphan is also another good way to give your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ on a monthly basis.Ìý

If you have not paid ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ from previous years in which you were eligible to do so, you must pay what you owe as soon as possible.

Missed ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ would be calculated in the same way you calculate your current ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ - however, you would use the Nisab value from the missed ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ year, as opposed to the current Nisab value.

Pay your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ with ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ. To learn how much you need tp pay, visit our handy ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ calculator.

We will use your ÆßÉ«ÊÓƵ to help some of the most impoverished.