⫷ Zakat Ruling on Gold, Silver, and Currency Combined ⫸
❖ Question:
If a person possesses five tolas of gold and also owns some cash, is zakat obligatory? Should the cash be added to the gold when calculating the nisāb, or must it be 7.5 tolas of gold alone for zakat to become due?
❖ Answer by:
Shaykh Maqṣūd Aḥmad ḥafiẓahullāh
Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakīl Nāṣir ḥafiẓahullāh
① Combining Gold and Currency to Meet the Nisāb
If the value of gold and cash combined is equal to or greater than the nisāb of 7.5 tolas of gold, then zakat becomes obligatory.
✔ Shaykh Maqṣūd Aḥmad affirms that when gold and currency combined reach the nisāb, zakat must be paid.
② Nisāb According to Different Views
Some scholars consider gold, silver, and currency as independent assets, with separate nisāb thresholds:
- Gold Nisāb: 7.5 tolas = 87.48 grams
- Silver Nisāb: 52.5 tolas = 612.36 grams
- Currency Nisāb: Equivalent to the value of gold or silver nisāb
According to Shaykh ʿAbd al-Wakīl Nāṣir:
✔ Silver and currency can be combined to fulfill the nisāb.
✘ But gold should be considered independently, and its nisāb assessed separately.
③ Ḥanafī School of Thought
The Ḥanafī scholars allow combining gold, silver, and currency to complete the nisāb threshold.
✔ According to this view, if the total value (gold + silver + cash) reaches nisāb, then zakat becomes obligatory.
❖ Summary:
✔ If the combined value of gold and cash equals or exceeds the nisāb (87.48g of gold), zakat is obligatory.
✔ Currency and silver can be combined for zakat calculation.
✔ Some scholars advise treating gold separately, while the Ḥanafī view permits combining all assets.
