Source:
Fatāwā Muḥammadiyyah, Vol. 1, Page 563
Question:
For years, we have heard from scholars that Zakat on gold jewelry becomes obligatory when the amount reaches 7.5 tolas (approximately 87.48 grams). Recently, however, some scholars have claimed that the Prophet ﷺ only fixed the Nisab (threshold) for silver, i.e., 52.5 tolas, and not for gold. They argue that if someone owns gold equal in value to 52.5 tolas of silver, Zakat becomes obligatory—even if it is just one tola of gold.
Kindly explain, in the light of Qur’an and Hadith, which opinion is correct and what the true Nisab for gold is.
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
It should be clearly understood that the Nisab (minimum amount) for gold upon which Zakat becomes obligatory is twenty (20) dinars, which equals 7.5 tolas (approximately 87.48 grams).
This amount is established through several authentic and sound ḥadīths, as explained below.
① Ḥadīth of ʿAlī رضي الله عنه
عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ مِائَتَا دِرْهَمٍ وَحَالَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَوْلُ فَفِيهَا خَمْسَةُ دَرَاهِمَ، وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ شَيْءٌ حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَكَ عِشْرُونَ دِينَارًا، فَإِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ وَحَالَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَوْلُ فَفِيهَا نِصْفُ دِينَارٍ۔
(Abū Dāwūd; Nayl al-Awṭār, Bāb Zakāt al-Dhahab wa al-Fiḍḍah, Vol. 2, p. 156)
Translation:
ʿAlī رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
“When you possess two hundred dirhams of silver for one year, five dirhams are due as Zakat.
And no Zakat is due on gold until you have twenty dinars.
Once you have twenty dinars for one full year, half a dinar is due as Zakat.”
Verification:
Imām Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Bayhaqī narrated it.
Imām al-Bukhārī declared it ṣaḥīḥ, and Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar graded it ḥasan (sound).
(Fiqh al-Sunnah by Muḥammad al-Sābiq, Vol. 1, p. 278)
Explanation by Imām al-Shawkānī رحمه الله
وَفِيهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّ نِصَابَ الذَّهَبِ عِشْرُونَ دِينَارًا، وَإِلَى ذَلِكَ ذَهَبَ الْأَكْثَرُ۔
(Nayl al-Awṭār, Vol. 3, p. 158)
Translation:
“This ḥadīth proves that the Nisab of gold is twenty dinars, and the majority of scholars hold this opinion.”
② Ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما and ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، وَعَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَأْخُذُ مِنْ كُلِّ عِشْرِينَ دِينَارًا فَصَاعِدًا نِصْفَ دِينَارٍ، وَمِنَ الْأَرْبَعِينَ دِينَارًا دِينَارًا۔
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī, Vol. 2, p. 96)
Translation:
Ibn ʿUmar and ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنهما reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to take half a dinar as Zakat from every twenty dinars, and one dinar from every forty dinars.
Though the chain contains Ibrāhīm ibn Ismāʿīl ibn Mujammaʿ, who is weak, the narration supports the established consensus and other authentic narrations.
③ Instruction to Muʿādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه
عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَحْشٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ مُعَاذَ بْنَ جَبَلٍ حِينَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْيَمَنِ: أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ كُلِّ أَرْبَعِينَ دِينَارًا دِينَارًا۔
(Sunan al-Dāraquṭnī, Vol. 7, p. 29)
Translation:
When the Prophet ﷺ sent Muʿādh ibn Jabal رضي الله عنه to Yemen, he instructed him to take one dinar as Zakat from every forty dinars of gold.
Although one of the narrators, ʿAbdullāh ibn Shuʿayb, is considered weak, ʿAllāmah Jamāl al-Dīn al-Ḥanafī al-Zaylaʿī mentioned that this report is supported by other narrations.
(Naṣb al-Rāyah, Vol. 2, p. 264)
④ Statement of Imām Ibn Ḥazm رحمه الله
قال جمھور: ایجاب الزکاة فی عشرین دیناراً الأقل۔
(Al-Muḥallā, Vol. 2, p. 66, Bāb Zakāt al-Dhahab)
Translation:
“The majority of scholars are of the view that Zakat on gold becomes obligatory at twenty dinars or more.”
This amount equals 87.479 grams, and upon completion of one lunar year, Zakat of half a dinar (i.e., 2.187 grams of gold) becomes due.
Summary
Based on the above ḥadīths and scholarly consensus:
✔ The Nisab for gold is 20 dinars, which equals 7.5 tolas (approximately 87.48 grams).
✔ This is the authentic and predominant view among the scholars of Islam.
✔ Therefore, Zakat becomes obligatory when a person possesses 7.5 tolas (87.48 grams) of gold—or its equivalent in coins or jewelry—for one full lunar year.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
This is what I hold to be correct, and Allah knows best what is right.
