When to pay Zakat? Zakat due date explained.
Your Zakat year should begin on the date your wealth equals or surpasses the Nisab. If your wealth equals or surpasses the Nisab after one lunar year has passed (also known as Hawl), then Zakat will be payable. In this instance, you will use this date again for the following year.
If your wealth did not equal the Nisab after one year, then you will not have to pay Zakat. Furthermore, you will wait to see when your wealth equals or surpasses Nisab.
Your Zakat due date
The moment your wealth equals or surpasses Nisab, that will initiate a new year for Zakat. You will then see a year after this new date whether your wealth equals to or surpasses the Nisab. This is referred to as your ‘Zakat due date’ or ‘Zakat anniversary’ on this website.
Zakat is due immediately upon your Zakat anniversary. If you’re not sure when this is or you’re paying for the first time, simply work out the day you first owned wealth over and above the Nisab threshold (if you don’t know the exact date you can estimate). Once you’ve paid your Zakat once this then becomes your Zakat anniversary.
Zakat can be pre-paid before your Zakat anniversary. This is to encourage people to increase in worship and make the most of blessed times like Ramadan or the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah. If you do pay early, you still need to work out your Zakat due on your Zakat anniversary to make sure you’ve paid the right amount.
Do I have to pay Zakat in Ramadan?
As mentioned above, Zakat is due immediately on your Zakat anniversary, whenever that may be. Paying Zakat should not be delayed unnecessarily.
Paying Zakat in Ramadan is not necessary, although giving charity in this month guarantees greater rewards. If you wish to pay Zakat in Ramadan and your actual Zakat anniversary comes later, you can do so on the condition that when your actual anniversary arrives, you calculate whether you have paid the right amount and make up the deficit if need be. This is based on the principle that Zakat can be paid in advance – discussed here.
And Allah knows best.
Reviewed on: 03/09/2024
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