How much zakat do I have to pay, and on what?

The short answer

Zakat is due once a (lunar) year on wealth that reaches a minimum threshold (nisab) and has been held for that year. On gold, silver, cash and trade goods, the rate is one-fortieth, which is 2.5%. Crops and livestock have their own rates, and there is a separate small zakat al-fitr at the end of Ramadan.

Explanation

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam 1. Allah told the Prophet ﷺ to take it from people's wealth to "purify them and cause them increase" 2. It is not a tax on everything you own: it applies to specific kinds of wealth, above a minimum, held over time.

The threshold (nisab). "There is no Zakat on less than five Awaq (of silver)", which the translation notes as 200 dirhams, and similar minimums apply to camels and harvested grain 3. Another hadith gives the threshold for gold as twenty dinars 4. Modern scholars commonly convert these to about 595 grams of silver or 85 grams of gold.

The year (hawl). "No zakat is payable on property till a year passes on it" 4. Zakat is calculated on what you hold on your zakat date, once your wealth has stayed above the nisab for a lunar year.

The rate. Abu Bakr's written instructions, which he attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, state: "For silver the Zakat is one-fortieth" (2.5%) 5. For 200 dirhams, that is five dirhams; for twenty dinars, half a dinar 4. Scholars apply the same 2.5% to cash, savings and goods held for trade.

Crops. Land watered by rain or natural channels pays one-tenth of the harvest; land irrigated with effort pays one-twentieth 6, due "on the day of its harvest" 7. Livestock follow detailed tables 5.

Zakat al-fitr. Separately, every Muslim, young or old, gives one sa' of food (about 3 kg) before the Eid prayer 8.

A simple method: on your zakat date, add up cash, bank balances, gold, silver and business stock, subtract debts due now, and if the total is above the nisab, pay 2.5%.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 8
    Sahih Bukhari

    Paying zakat is one of the five principles on which Islam is built.

    Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): 1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). 2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly. 3. To pay Zakat (i.e. obligatory charity) . 4. To perform Hajj. (i.e. Pilgrimage to Mecca) 5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حَنْظَلَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ بُنِيَ الإِسْلاَمُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَإِقَامِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ، وَالْحَجِّ، وَصَوْمِ رَمَضَانَ ‏"‏‏.‏

  2. 2
    Quran At-Tawba · 9:103

    Zakat is taken from wealth to purify its owners and cause increase.

    خُذۡ مِنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِهِمۡ صَدَقَةࣰ تُطَهِّرُهُمۡ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنࣱ لَّهُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ۝١٠٣

    Take, [O, Muhammad], from their wealth a charity by which you purify them and cause them increase, and invoke [Allah 's blessings] upon them. Indeed, your invocations are reassurance for them. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1447
    Sahih Bukhari

    No zakat on less than five awaq of silver, five camels, or five awsuq of grain.

    Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "There is no Zakat on less than five camels and also there is no Zakat on less than five Awaq (of silver). (5 Awaq = 22 Fransa Riyals of Yemen or 200 Dirhams.) And there is no Zakat on less than five Awsuq. (A special measure of food-grains, and one Wasq equals 60 Sa's.) (For gold 20, Dinars i.e. equal to 12 Guinea English. No Zakat for less than 12 Guinea (English) of gold or for silver less than 22 Fransa Riyals of Yemen.) Narrated Abi Sa`id Al-Khudri: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying (as above)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ يَحْيَى الْمَازِنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ صَدَقَةٌ مِنَ الإِبِلِ، وَلَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسِ أَوَاقٍ صَدَقَةٌ، وَلَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسَةِ أَوْسُقٍ صَدَقَةٌ ‏"‏‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرٌو، سَمِعَ أَبَاهُ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهَذَا‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 1573
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani
    Graders differ
    • Al-Albani: Sahih
    • Muhammad Muhyi Al-Din Abdul Hamid: Sahih
    • Zubair Ali Zai: Daif

    On 200 dirhams held a year, five dirhams are due; on twenty dinars, half a dinar; no zakat until a year passes.

    Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When you possess two hundred dirhams and one year passes on them, five dirhams are payable. Nothing is incumbent on you, that is, on gold, till it reaches twenty dinars. When you possess twenty dinars and one year passes on them, half a dinar is payable. Whatever exceeds, that will be reckoned properly." (The narrator said: I do not remember whether the words "that will be reckoned properly" were uttered by All himself or he attributed them to the Prophet (ﷺ). No zakat is payable on property till a year passes on it. But Jarir said: Ibn Wahb (sub-narrator) added to this tradition from the Prophet (ﷺ): "No zakat is payable on property until a year passes away on it

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ الْمَهْرِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ، وَسَمَّى، آخَرَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ ضَمْرَةَ، وَالْحَارِثِ الأَعْوَرِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، - رضى الله عنه - عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِبَعْضِ أَوَّلِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَإِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ مِائَتَا دِرْهَمٍ وَحَالَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَوْلُ فَفِيهَا خَمْسَةُ دَرَاهِمَ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَىْءٌ - يَعْنِي فِي الذَّهَبِ - حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَكَ عِشْرُونَ دِينَارًا فَإِذَا كَانَ لَكَ عِشْرُونَ دِينَارًا وَحَالَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَوْلُ فَفِيهَا نِصْفُ دِينَارٍ فَمَا زَادَ فَبِحِسَابِ ذَلِكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَلاَ أَدْرِي أَعَلِيٌّ يَقُولُ فَبِحِسَابِ ذَلِكَ ‏.‏ أَوْ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ وَلَيْسَ فِي مَالٍ زَكَاةٌ حَتَّى يَحُولَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْلُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ إِلاَّ أَنَّ جَرِيرًا قَالَ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ يَزِيدُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لَيْسَ فِي مَالٍ زَكَاةٌ حَتَّى يَحُولَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْلُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1454
    Sahih Bukhari

    Abu Bakr's zakat letter sets livestock rates and states that silver pays one-fortieth.

    Narrated Anas:When Abu Bakr; sent me to (collect the Zakat from) Bahrain, he wrote to me the following:-- (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful). These are the orders for compulsory charity (Zakat) which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had made obligatory for every Muslim, and which Allah had ordered His Apostle to observe: Whoever amongst the Muslims is asked to pay Zakat accordingly, he should pay it (to the Zakat collector) and whoever is asked more than that (what is specified in this script) he should not pay it; for twenty-four camels or less, sheep are to be paid as Zakat; for every five camels one sheep is to be paid, and if there are between twenty-five to thirty-five camels, one Bint Makhad is to be paid; and if there are between thirty-six to forty-five (camels), one Bint Labun is to be paid; and if there are between forty-six to sixty (camels), one Hiqqa is to be paid; and if the number is between sixty-one to seventy-five (camels), one Jadha is to be paid; and if the number is between seventy-six to ninety (camels), two Bint Labuns are to be paid; and if they are from ninety-one to one-hundredand twenty (camels), two Hiqqas are to be paid; and if they are over one-hundred and-twenty (camels), for every forty (over one-hundred-and-twenty) one Bint Labun is to be paid, and for every fifty camels (over one-hundred-and-twenty) one Hiqqa is to be paid; and who ever has got only four camels, has to pay nothing as Zakat, but if the owner of these four camels wants to give something, he can. If the number of camels increases to five, the owner has to pay one sheep as Zakat. As regards the Zakat for the (flock) of sheep; if they are between forty and one-hundred-and-twenty sheep, one sheep is to be paid; and if they are between one-hundred-and-twenty to two hundred (sheep), two sheep are to be paid; and if they are between two-hundred to three-hundred (sheep), three sheep are to be paid; and for over three-hundred sheep, for every extra hundred sheep, one sheep is to be paid as Zakat. And if somebody has got less than forty sheep, no Zakat is required, but if he wants to give, he can. For silver the Zakat is one-fortieth of the lot (i.e. 2.5%), and if its value is less than two-hundred Dirhams, Zakat is not required, but if the owner wants to pay he can

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنِي ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ أَنَسًا، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ كَتَبَ لَهُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ لَمَّا وَجَّهَهُ إِلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ ‏ "‏ هَذِهِ فَرِيضَةُ الصَّدَقَةِ الَّتِي فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَالَّتِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهَا رَسُولَهُ، فَمَنْ سُئِلَهَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا فَلْيُعْطِهَا، وَمَنْ سُئِلَ فَوْقَهَا فَلاَ يُعْطِ فِي أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ مِنَ الإِبِلِ فَمَا دُونَهَا مِنَ الْغَنَمِ مِنْ كُلِّ خَمْسٍ شَاةٌ، إِذَا بَلَغَتْ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَثَلاَثِينَ فَفِيهَا بِنْتُ مَخَاضٍ أُنْثَى، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ سِتًّا وَثَلاَثِينَ إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ فَفِيهَا بِنْتُ لَبُونٍ أُنْثَى، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ سِتًّا وَأَرْبَعِينَ إِلَى سِتِّينَ فَفِيهَا حِقَّةٌ طَرُوقَةُ الْجَمَلِ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ وَاحِدَةً وَسِتِّينَ إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَسَبْعِينَ فَفِيهَا جَذَعَةٌ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ ـ يَعْنِي ـ سِتًّا وَسَبْعِينَ إِلَى تِسْعِينَ فَفِيهَا بِنْتَا لَبُونٍ، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ إِحْدَى وَتِسْعِينَ إِلَى عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ فَفِيهَا حِقَّتَانِ طَرُوقَتَا الْجَمَلِ، فَإِذَا زَادَتْ عَلَى عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ فَفِي كُلِّ أَرْبَعِينَ بِنْتُ لَبُونٍ، وَفِي كُلِّ خَمْسِينَ حِقَّةٌ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَعَهُ إِلاَّ أَرْبَعٌ مِنَ الإِبِلِ فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا صَدَقَةٌ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَاءَ رَبُّهَا، فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ خَمْسًا مِنَ الإِبِلِ فَفِيهَا شَاةٌ، وَفِي صَدَقَةِ الْغَنَمِ فِي سَائِمَتِهَا إِذَا كَانَتْ أَرْبَعِينَ إِلَى عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ شَاةٌ، فَإِذَا زَادَتْ عَلَى عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَةٍ إِلَى مِائَتَيْنِ شَاتَانِ، فَإِذَا زَادَتْ عَلَى مِائَتَيْنِ إِلَى ثَلاَثِمِائَةٍ فَفِيهَا ثَلاَثٌ، فَإِذَا زَادَتْ عَلَى ثَلاَثِمِائَةٍ فَفِي كُلِّ مِائَةٍ شَاةٌ، فَإِذَا كَانَتْ سَائِمَةُ الرَّجُلِ نَاقِصَةً مِنْ أَرْبَعِينَ شَاةً وَاحِدَةً فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا صَدَقَةٌ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَاءَ رَبُّهَا، وَفِي الرِّقَةِ رُبْعُ الْعُشْرِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ إِلاَّ تِسْعِينَ وَمِائَةً فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا شَىْءٌ، إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَاءَ رَبُّهَا ‏"‏‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1483
    Sahih Bukhari

    Rain-fed land pays one-tenth of its yield; irrigated land pays one-twentieth.

    Narrated Salim bin `Abdullah from his father:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "On a land irrigated by rain water or by natural water channels or if the land is wet due to a near by water channel Ushr (i.e. one-tenth) is compulsory (as Zakat); and on the land irrigated by the well, half of an Ushr (i.e. one-twentieth) is compulsory (as Zakat on the yield of the land)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ فِيمَا سَقَتِ السَّمَاءُ وَالْعُيُونُ أَوْ كَانَ عَثَرِيًّا الْعُشْرُ، وَمَا سُقِيَ بِالنَّضْحِ نِصْفُ الْعُشْرِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ هَذَا تَفْسِيرُ الأَوَّلِ لأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُوَقِّتْ فِي الأَوَّلِ ـ يَعْنِي حَدِيثَ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ وَفِيمَا سَقَتِ السَّمَاءُ الْعُشْرُ وَبَيَّنَ فِي هَذَا وَوَقَّتَ، وَالزِّيَادَةُ مَقْبُولَةٌ، وَالْمُفَسَّرُ يَقْضِي عَلَى الْمُبْهَمِ إِذَا رَوَاهُ أَهْلُ الثَّبَتِ، كَمَا رَوَى الْفَضْلُ بْنُ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ يُصَلِّ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ‏.‏ وَقَالَ بِلاَلٌ قَدْ صَلَّى‏.‏ فَأُخِذَ بِقَوْلِ بِلاَلٍ وَتُرِكَ قَوْلُ الْفَضْلِ‏.‏

  7. 7
    Quran Al-An'aam · 6:141

    Give the due of crops on the day of harvest.

    ۞وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنشَأَ جَنَّٰتࣲ مَّعۡرُوشَٰتࣲ وَغَيۡرَ مَعۡرُوشَٰتࣲ وَٱلنَّخۡلَ وَٱلزَّرۡعَ مُخۡتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُۥ وَٱلزَّيۡتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَٰبِهࣰ ا وَغَيۡرَ مُتَشَٰبِهࣲۚ كُلُواْ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثۡمَرَ وَءَاتُواْ حَقَّهُۥ يَوۡمَ حَصَادِهِۦۖ وَلَا تُسۡرِفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ۝١٤١

    And He it is who causes gardens to grow, [both] trellised and untrellised, and palm trees and crops of different [kinds of] food and olives and pomegranates, similar and dissimilar. Eat of [each of] its fruit when it yields and give its due [zakah] on the day of its harvest. And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess

  8. 8
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1503
    Sahih Bukhari

    Zakat al-fitr is one sa' of dates or barley on every Muslim, paid before the Eid prayer.

    Narrated Ibn `Umar:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) enjoined the payment of one Sa' of dates or one Sa' of barley as Zakat-ul-Fitr on every Muslim slave or free, male or female, young or old, and he ordered that it be paid before the people went out to offer the `Id prayer. (One Sa' = 3 Kilograms approx)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ السَّكَنِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَهْضَمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ فَرَضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم زَكَاةَ الْفِطْرِ صَاعًا مِنْ تَمْرٍ، أَوْ صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ عَلَى الْعَبْدِ وَالْحُرِّ، وَالذَّكَرِ وَالأُنْثَى، وَالصَّغِيرِ وَالْكَبِيرِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَمَرَ بِهَا أَنْ تُؤَدَّى قَبْلَ خُرُوجِ النَّاسِ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ‏.‏

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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