Zakat Resources

Zakat, or zakat al-mal, means “obligatory alms” or “alms upon wealth.” It stands as the third pillar of Islam, coming immediately after salat, the daily ritual prayer.

Every Muslim possessing the designated minimal amount of wealth, nisab, for the full cycle of a lunar year must, as a matter of worship, satisfy the duty of paying zakat.

Unfortunately, the calculation of zakat has become unclear to many Muslims because of the many different kinds of wealth they may have.

The mission of Zakat Foundation is to help Muslims carry out their zakat duties easily and correctly. The resources assembled here cover a diverse array of financial topics and questions to assist with calculating and paying zakat in an accurate, timely and convenient way.

Zakat Foundation of America has collected and organized a series of questions and answers to provide clarification on the following subjects:

Zakat Calculator

The Zakat Foundation of America offers our own zakat calculator to help you determine how much zakat you need to pay.

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Zakat Handbook

Learn about Zakat essentials, your individual obligations, conditions, assessments, recipients, payment, administration, calculation, and more from this book. Click below to see the table of contents.

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Zakat Essentials

All possessions can be classified into either zakatable or non-zakatable wealth. The Quran specifies how zakat is to be collected and distributed as well as who should receive zakat.

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Zakatable Wealth Checklist

In order to accurately calculate your zakat, it is important to know what types of wealth zakat is due on and what types of wealth are non-zakatable.

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Zakat & Business

Many questions that American Muslims have about zakat are related to wealth that is acquired through business and investment, debt and liquid assets.

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Zakat Conditions & Calculation

Zakat falls due when certain conditions are met: Zakat is due only on zakatable wealth that reaches an established minimum threshold for that particular kind of wealth. A lunar year’s full cycle must elapse on nisab for zakat to come due.

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Zakat or Sadaqah?

In addition to zakat, Muslims are strongly encouraged to give sadaqa, or optional charity, throughout the year.

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Who Answers the Zakat Questions?

Zakat Foundation has presented here the positions of scholars recognized as mujtahidîn (qualified, independent legal practitioners) on current zakat topics. We have published The Zakat Handbook: A Practical Guide for Muslims in the West in consultation with renowned contemporary scholars in order to increase the awareness and practice of the pillar of zakat.




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