What do the scholars and muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding this matter: I have sold my house and I am now currently attempting to buy another. The money I received after selling the house has been in my ownership for over a year. Will I have to pay Zakāh on all of this money; at present I am living in a rented house.
Questioner: Talib from UK
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Yes absolutely! You will have to pay Zakāh on the entirety of the money. Houses in England are bought by paying a substantial amount of money and this is a thousand times greater than the nisāb [threshold] of Zakāh. Zakāh is obligatory on the one who is sāhib-e-nisāb [owner of the threshold amount of wealth which makes a person liable for zakāh] and the one who possesses at least 612.35g of silver, or something of its value, is obliged to pay Zakāh. This is valued at around £244.86 according to the rate of silver [at the time of answering the question].
It is mentioned in Bahār-e-Shari’at:
The nisāb of silver is 200 dirhams i.e. 612.35g.
[Bahār-e-Shari’at Vol. 1 Part 5 p.902]
Gathering money for a house is not considered to be a hājat-e-asli [primary necessity] so Zakāh must be given upon it as mentioned in Fatāwa Ahlus Sunnah.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Dawud Hanif
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0429] Do I have to pay Zakah on cash I received from selling my house?
Also see:
[Q-ID0260] Is it permissible to take out a mortgage in England?
