💰 Family finances · #21

In one household, who bears the zakat on wealth — the husband or the wife?

Zakat is levied on a person's wealth, so it follows the owner of the wealth, not the head of the household.
At-Taubah 9:103 commands taking zakat from their wealth. Al-Baqarah 2:267 commands giving from the good things earned. So a wife whose savings or gold meet the conditions bears her own zakat, and the zakat on the husband's wealth is on the husband. Zakat is a State matter under the Federal Constitution (Ninth Schedule, List II, item 1), so the setting of nisab and the manner of payment are handled by each state's religious council or zakat centre — consult your state zakat centre. Whether the values differ between states we have not checked (check the latest rule with your state Syariah Court). We do not state any rate or value here.

Sources

Surah at-Taubah 9:103Surah al-Baqarah 2:267Federal Constitution, Ninth Schedule, List II (State List), item 1 — zakat, fitrah and Baitulmal

← PreviousHow should a household budget be drawn up according to Islamic guidance?Next →A child's Eid money and cash gifts — do they belong to the child or to the parents?

Related questions

Who should manage the money in the home — the husband or the wife?The texts do not appoint an account manager; they set out how decisions are made. Ash-Shura 42:38 praises those who con…A husband asks his wife to be his guarantor or to take a loan in her name for him. Should she agree?She has the right to refuse, and if she agrees she must understand that legally she is the one who will be pursued…A husband or wife runs a small online business. Must business zakat be paid?Yes, if the business's value at the end of the year — stock, business cash and customer debts expected to be paid…A house bought jointly, with the wife also paying the instalments: whose house is it?Ownership depends on the name on the title and the agreement between husband and wife, and the wife's contribution can be claimed as…Who owns the property a wife had before marriage, or inherited from her family?It remains entirely hers; marriage does not transfer ownership to the husband, and he may not use it without her free…Who must pay zakat al-fitr for a wife and children?According to the Shafi'i school, the husband or father must pay zakat al-fitr for himself and for everyone he is…

This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

Comments or feedback

Read only by the MYPolygyny administrator — never published.

About Us · Ask · Site Map · Privacy · Editorial policy · Disclaimer