◈ Rules on Combining Livestock, Middle Thresholds (Awqās), and Zakah on Animals ◈
✍ Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❀ Combining and Separating Livestock to Manipulate Zakah is Not Permissible
It is impermissible to gather separate livestock to reduce Zakah liability or to separate combined livestock to evade full Zakah.
➊ Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه:
ولا يجمع بين متفرق ولا يفرق بين مجتمع خشية الصدقة
“Separate flocks should not be gathered, nor combined flocks separated, out of fear of paying Zakah.”
[Bukhari 1450, Kitab az-Zakah]
✿ Example of Prohibited Practices
✔ Combining separate ownerships to reduce Zakah:
- Three men each own 40 goats (total 120). Separately, each owes 1 goat (total 3).
- But when the Zakah collector arrives, they combine their goats as one herd. Now only 1 goat is due for the total.
✔ Separating a combined herd to reduce Zakah:
- Two men own 202 goats together, requiring 3 goats in Zakah.
- But they split ownership to 101 each. Now only 1 goat per person is due, reducing the total Zakah to 2.
[References: Fath al-Bari 3/368, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi 3/295]
❀ No Zakah on Below-Nisab and Intermediate Quantities (Awqās)
◈ Zakah is not obligatory on quantities below the Nisab, or on intermediate numbers (Awqās) between two Zakah slabs.
➋ Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه:
ومن لم يكن معه إلا أربع من الإبل فليس فيها صدقة إلا أن يشاء ربها
“Whoever owns only four camels, no Zakah is due—unless the owner wishes to give voluntarily.”
فإذا كانت سائمة الرجل ناقصة عن أربعين شاة شاة واحدة فليس فيها صدقة إلا أن يشاء ربها
“If a man’s grazing sheep are even one less than forty, Zakah is not obligatory—unless he voluntarily gives.”
[Bukhari 4154, Kitab az-Zakah]
➌ Narrated by Mu‘adh رضي الله عنه:
إن الأوقاص لا فريضة فيها
“There is no prescribed Zakah on intermediate (Awqās) numbers.”
[Musnad Ahmad 5/240]
Awqās refers to the ranges between two defined Zakah thresholds.
[Nayl al-Awtar 3/88]
✔ Imam Shawkani: No Zakah in Awqās by consensus.
✔ Siddiq Hasan Khan: There is no difference of opinion on this.
[Ar-Rawdah an-Nadiyyah 1/429]
❀ Zakah Sharing Among Partners
➍ Narrated by Anas رضي الله عنه:
وما كان من خليطين فإنهما يتراجعان بينهما بالسوية
“If two people share ownership (as partners), they will equally share the Zakah.”
[Bukhari 1451, Kitab az-Zakah]
✔ This means if one goat is taken for Zakah from jointly owned livestock, and one partner’s animals were used, the other partner will compensate half its value, making it fair.
[Irshad as-Sari 3/377, Tuhfat al-Ahwazi 3/295]
❀ Defective or Inferior Animals Cannot Be Given as Zakah
➊ Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه’s instructions:
ولا يخرج فى الصدقة هرمة ولا ذات عوار ولا تيس إلا أن يشاء المصدق
“Do not take an old, one-eyed, or male goat in Zakah—unless the payer consents.”
[Bukhari 4154, Abu Dawood 1567, Ibn Majah 1800]
➋ Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما:
ولا يؤخذ فى الصدقة هرمة ولا ذات عيب
“Do not take old or defective animals in Zakah.”
[Sahih Abu Dawood 1386, Tirmidhi 621]
➌ Abdullah ibn Mu‘awiyah رضي الله عنه:
ولا يُعطى الهرمة ولا الدرنة ولا المريضة ولا الشَّرَط الليمة ولكن من أوسط أموالكم
“One must not give old, sick, defective, or worst animals in Zakah. Rather, it should be from your moderate (average) wealth.”
[Sahih Abu Dawood 1400, Tabarani]
- الدرنة: Scabby or filthy animals
- الشَّرَط الليمة: Inferior and stingy milk-producing livestock
[Qamus al-Muḥīt, Ma‘ālim as-Sunan 2/37, Nihāyah Ibn al-Athīr 2/37]
➍ Sufyan ibn ‘Abdullah رضي الله عنه:
‘Umar رضي الله عنه said:
ولا تأخذ الأكولة ولا الربى ولا الماخض ولا فحل غنم
“Do not take in Zakah: a fattened animal (for meat), a domestic animal, a pregnant animal, or a stud ram.”
[Muwatta 1/276, Bayhaqi 4/100, Musnad ash-Shafi‘i 1/238, Al-Muḥalla 5/276]
❀ Do Not Offer Defective or Worthless Items in Zakah
◈ Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْفِقُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ… وَلَا تَيَمَّمُوا الْخَبِيثَ مِنْهُ تُنفِقُونَ
“O you who believe! Spend from the good of what you have earned… and do not aim for the defective among it to give in charity, which you yourselves would not take except with closed eyes.”
[Surah al-Baqarah: 267]
✔ This affirms that inferior items should not be used for Zakah.
❀ No Zakah on Donkeys, Mules, and Horses (Unless for Trade)
◈ There is no fixed Zakah in the Qur’an or Sunnah for donkeys, mules, and horses, unless they are used for trade.
- If used for trade, value them and pay 2.5% Zakah, as with other trade goods.
❀ No Zakah on Stall-fed Animals
Animals raised and fed at home (not grazing) such as camels, cows, buffaloes, and goats—are not subject to Zakah as sā’imah (grazing) is a condition.
- However, if income from them accumulates to reach Nisab, Zakah must be paid on that amount after one year.
- If they are raised for trade, Zakah applies to their market value.
