Minimum Threshold for ʿUshr and the Ruling on Deducting Farming Expenses

Amount of ʿUshr, Minimum Threshold, and the Ruling on Fertilizer and Pesticide Expenses

📚 Source: Fatawa ʿIlmiyyah – Tawdih al-Ahkam, Vol. 2, p. 163

Question

Is ʿUshr obligatory only if the agricultural produce reaches nineteen (19) man in weight, or is it due even if the produce is less? For example, if only 20 kg of grain is harvested, is one kilogram of ʿUshr still required?
Also, when fertilizers and pesticides are used on the crop, should their cost be deducted from the produce before calculating ʿUshr, or is ʿUshr due on the total yield?

Answer

Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!

Minimum Threshold (Nisab) for ʿUshr

Authentic Ahadith state:

“No zakah (including ʿUshr) is due on less than five wasq.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari: 1405, Sahih Muslim: 979)

Explanation of Wasq:

❖ 1 wasq = 60 saʿ
❖ 1 saʿ ≈ 2.5 kg

Calculation:

• 5 wasq = 60 × 5 = 300 saʿ
• 300 × 2.5 kg = 750 kg (approximately)

This is roughly equal to 18 man 30 kg (local measure), or close to this weight.

Ruling Based on the Threshold

❖ If the produce is 19 man or more, ʿUshr is obligatory.
❖ If the produce is 10 man or less (below five wasq), then ʿUshr is not obligatory.

Fertilizer and Pesticide Expenses

❖ As for deducting the cost of fertilizer and pesticides from the yield before calculating ʿUshr — there is no explicit Sharʿi evidence that allows for such deductions.
❖ Therefore, the obligation of ʿUshr is determined on the total produce, provided the nisab is reached.

ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب