---
title: "How to Give Zakat: Nisab, Calculation, and Distribution"
description: "The obligatory conditions of zakat, nisab amounts, who receives it, and how to calculate it — grounded in Quran and hadith, with contemporary fiqh guidance."
canonical: "https://getvaaz.com/en/guides/worship/how-to-give-zakat"
locale: "en"
published: "2026-05-15"
updated: "2026-05-15"
author: "VAAZ Team"
source: "VAAZ — getvaaz.com"
---

# How to Give Zakat: Nisab, Calculation, and Distribution

Zakat is the third pillar of Islam and the most tangible expression of social solidarity in the faith. Obligatory at the rate of 2.5% on eligible wealth that has reached the nisab threshold and been held for one full lunar year, it is both a financial and a spiritual purification. This guide explains how to calculate zakat, who is obligated to give it, and who is entitled to receive it.

## The Obligation of Zakat

Zakat is commanded alongside prayer throughout the Quran, and abandoning it is treated as a grave warning:

> Those who establish the prayer and give zakat and are certain of the Hereafter.

Surah al-Naml, 3 (Qur'an 27:3)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also established zakat as one of the five pillars of Islam: *"Islam is built upon five: testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His messenger, establishing the prayer, giving zakat, pilgrimage to the House, and fasting Ramadan."* (al-Bukhari, Iman 1)

## Conditions for Zakat to Be Obligatory

Four conditions must all be present for zakat to become obligatory on a person:

1. **Reaching the nisab:** The wealth must equal or exceed the nisab threshold.
2. **Complete and full ownership:** The wealth must be fully at one's disposal; debts owed or assets pledged as collateral are deducted from the nisab calculation.
3. **Hawl (one lunar year):** One full lunar year (354 or 355 days) must pass while the nisab is maintained. If the threshold is met at the beginning and end of the year, a temporary dip in between does not reset the clock (Hanafi opinion).
4. **Nami (productive) nature:** The wealth must be of a type that grows or has the potential to grow — cash, trade goods, gold, silver, and livestock all qualify.

## Nisab Thresholds

| Wealth Type | Nisab | Rate |
|-------------|-------|------|
| Gold | 80.18 g (20 mithqals) | 2.5% |
| Silver | 561 g (200 dirhams) | 2.5% |
| Cash and trade goods | Equivalent to silver nisab | 2.5% |
| Cattle | 30 head | Variable |
| Sheep/goats | 40 head | Variable |
| Grain and fruit | 653 kg (5 wasqs) | 5%–10% |


> The monetary value of the gold and silver nisabs fluctuates with market prices. Hanafi scholars — and the Diyanet — recommend using the silver nisab for cash and jewellery because it benefits the poor more (more people qualify to give). Always check the current gram price when calculating, or consult a trusted scholar.


## The Eight Categories Entitled to Receive Zakat

The Quran specifies exactly to whom zakat must be distributed:

> Zakat is only for the poor, the destitute, those who collect it, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing captives, for those in debt, for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer — an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Surah al-Tawbah, 60 (Qur'an 9:60)

These eight categories are:

1. **Fuqara (the poor):** Those who cannot meet their basic needs.
2. **Masakeen (the destitute):** Those who can barely sustain themselves; in the Hanafi school the miskeen is considered worse off than the faqeer.
3. **Amileen (zakat collectors):** Those officially appointed to collect and distribute zakat.
4. **Mu'allafat al-qulub:** Those whose hearts are being drawn toward Islam.
5. **Fi-r-riqab (freeing captives):** Historically for purchasing freedom for enslaved persons; contemporary scholars extend this to combating human trafficking.
6. **Gharimeen (debtors):** Those burdened with debt through hardship or community need — not through extravagance.
7. **Fi sabilillah (in the cause of Allah):** Those engaged in beneficial activities such as spreading knowledge and defending the community.
8. **Ibn al-sabil (the wayfarer):** A traveller who is stranded and needs immediate help, even if wealthy at home.

## Calculating Your Zakat

**Example calculation:** Suppose a person holds gold worth $3,000 and savings of $2,000 — a total of $5,000 in zakatable assets. If this exceeds the silver nisab for their currency and one full lunar year has passed:

**Zakat = $5,000 × 2.5% = $125**

For trade goods: add the stock value and receivables, subtract trade debts; if the remainder exceeds the nisab, 2.5% is due.


> The scholarly consensus is that you should pay zakat on the total net zakatable wealth on the day the hawl completes — not average it over the year. Keep track of the lunar year date when your savings first reached the nisab.


## Who Cannot Receive Your Zakat

- Non-Muslims.
- Your ascendants (parents, grandparents) or descendants (children, grandchildren).
- Your spouse.
- The Hashimite family (descendants of Banu Hashim, the clan of the Prophet, peace be upon him).

## Give Zakat with Knowledge and Intention

Zakat is most impactful when given through a reliable institution that can direct it to the right recipients. When calculating, consult the Diyanet's zakat guidelines or a qualified scholar if in doubt. To deepen the spiritual dimension of your giving, read the Quranic verses on zakat and explore the VAAZ app's Quran and prayer features.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Should the gold nisab or the silver nisab be used for cash?

The majority of Hanafi scholars hold that the standard most beneficial to the poor should be applied. Since the silver nisab is lower in monetary value today, using it brings more people into the obligation of giving zakat, which benefits the poor — this is the position favoured by the Diyanet as well.

### Who cannot receive zakat?

Zakat may not be given to non-Muslims, to one's ascendants (parents, grandparents) or descendants (children, grandchildren), to one's spouse, or to the Hashimite family (descendants of the Prophet's clan, peace be upon him).

### Does zakat have to be paid in Ramadan?

Paying in Ramadan is more rewarding but not a requirement. Zakat is due whenever the hawl (one lunar year) completes. Early payment is also permissible.

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