Zakat on Jewellery Given to Daughters – Shar‘i Ruling
📖 Source: Fatāwā Arkān al-Islām
The Question:
A man has given jewellery to his daughters. Individually, each daughter’s jewellery does not reach the niṣāb (minimum threshold), but collectively the jewellery equals or exceeds the niṣāb. In this case, is zakat to be paid on the total amount?
Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
There are two possible scenarios, depending on who actually owns the jewellery:
① If the Jewellery Was Given on Loan (Temporary Use):
- The jewellery remains the property of the father.
- Therefore:
- All the jewellery is counted together.
- If the total reaches the niṣāb (approx. 87.48g of gold or equivalent in silver), zakat is obligatory on the father.
② If the Jewellery Was Given as Full Ownership to the Daughters:
- Each daughter’s jewellery is her personal property.
- Therefore:
- Each daughter’s jewellery is assessed separately.
- The total of all daughters’ jewellery is not combined, since each owns her own wealth.
- If one daughter’s jewellery reaches the niṣāb, zakat is obligatory only on her.
- If a daughter’s jewellery does not reach the niṣāb, she owes no zakat.
Conclusion:
- Loaned jewellery → Father pays zakat if total reaches niṣāb.
- Owned jewellery → Each daughter assessed individually for niṣāb.
وَالله أعلم بالصواب
