Zakat on Agricultural Produce: Ruling on Land Irrigated by Rain, Canal, and Human Effort
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, Page 398
❖ Question
What is the amount of Zakat due on the produce of land irrigated by canal water and the land cultivated with rainwater?
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
It is narrated from Sayyidunā ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما that:
((عن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم أنه قال فيما سقت السماء والعيون وكان عشريا العشور وما سقى بالنضح نصف العشر.))
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Kitāb al-Zakāh, Bāb al-ʿUshr fīmā yusqā min māʾi al-samāʾ wal-māʾ, Ḥadīth no. 1483
Meaning: The Prophet ﷺ said: “The land irrigated by rain or springs, or such trees whose roots absorb water naturally without external irrigation, on their produce ʿUshr (one-tenth) Zakat is due. But if the land is irrigated through effort, like by drawing water with animals, then on its produce Niṣf al-ʿUshr (one-twentieth) Zakat is due.”
❖ Derivation from the Ḥadīth
✿ Land irrigated by rainwater → ʿUshr (1/10th) Zakat.
✿ Land irrigated by animal or human effort → Niṣf al-ʿUshr (1/20th) Zakat.
❖ Ruling on Land Irrigated by Canal
As for the second question regarding land irrigated by canal water:
Such land falls under the category of lands irrigated with human effort, because arranging canal water involves expense and effort. Therefore, Niṣf al-ʿUshr (1/20th) Zakat is obligatory on its produce.
❖ Reasoning
◈ Islamic law considers the level of human effort and hardship.
◈ If the land is naturally irrigated through rain or springs without labor, Zakat is higher (1/10th).
◈ If irrigation requires human toil, expense, or hardship, Zakat is reduced (1/20th).
❖ Context of Canals
In the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, canal systems did not exist. Irrigation was done by drawing water with animals, hence only that was mentioned in the Ḥadīth.
But later scholars included canal-irrigated lands under the same ruling, because:
◈ Digging, maintaining canals, and paying water charges involve costs and labor.
◈ Farmers essentially “purchase” water with money.
◈ Imposing full ʿUshr (1/10th) in such a case would be an unbearable burden.
And the Sharīʿah principle is:
﴿لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا﴾
(البقرة: 286)
"Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity."
Thus, on such lands, Niṣf al-ʿUshr (1/20th) Zakat is due.
❖ Position of Ahl al-Ḥadīth Scholars
◈ A detailed fatwa from Mawlānā Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbdullāh Rūprī رحمه الله was once published in the newspaper Tanzīm Ahl al-Ḥadīth on this issue.
◈ Contemporary Ahl al-Ḥadīth scholars have also ruled that canal-irrigated land is subject to Niṣf al-ʿUshr (1/20th) Zakat.
◈ In light of evidences, this position is the most correct and stronger view.
❖ Conclusion
➊ Land irrigated by rain or springs → ʿUshr (1/10th) Zakat.
➋ Land irrigated by canals or with human effort and expense → Niṣf al-ʿUshr (1/20th) Zakat.
Hādhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bi-ṣ-ṣawāb.
