[onetspvanilla]

ok, so let's say that someone acquired quite a bit of gold in presents and such after marriage, and it's all hers. her husband provides for her very adequately and she has no other source of income of her own, but has been told she must pay zakat on the gold, by selling some of the gold and using it to pay the zakat. wouldn't this dwindle the amount of the gold after a few years? or does that not matter, because zakat must be paid?

kthanx advise.

[ChotooMotoo]

You have to pay zakat. However, zakat is only 2.5% of the value of the gold, so one could easily raise the money for zakat by doing odd jobs like baby sitting, taking in laundry, selling things in e-bay etc. If you own $5000 worth of Gold, your zakat is only $125.00.

[Timbit]

Then get your husband to pay the zakat if he's paying for everything else?

[rahat]

Sorry I'm a bit confused. We have a different system of Islamic taxes ...

What is the sunni view on zakat?
What is the sunni view on khums?

not trying to start an argument! just genuinely interested.

-
rahat

[ChotooMotoo]

Originally Posted by rahat

Sorry I'm a bit confused. We have a different system of Islamic taxes ...

What is the sunni view on zakat?
What is the sunni view on khums?

not trying to start an argument! just genuinely interested.

-
rahat

So far as I know, there is no khums in Sunni Islam, just zakat and sadaqa. For zakat, you owe zakat if your assets are over a certain ammount, and you have kept them for a year or more. If those qualifications are met, your zakat is 2.5% of the assets you have kept for a year over that amount. I am not sure what the exact baseline level is, but I think you have to have assets more than $200 (If you're in America) to be required to pay zakat. You pay zakat on your savings, investement money, property, and other fixed valuables like Gold. If you have just an ordinary car, I don't think you pay zakat on that, since it devalues every year.

You pay Zakat either to the Muslim government for distribution, or you can distribute it yourself to those who are in need of zakat money. You can't give it to your relatives whom you are ordinarily required to support (parents, brothers and sisters, wife, children, husband) but you can give it to distant relatives if they qualify as needy enough for zakat. You cannot benefit from the zakat. So far as I know, the person who is qualified to recieve zakat is the person who is so poor as to not pay any themselves, and may also be mired in debts and facing oher hardships.

That's what I've learned from the books I've read. Anyone who has more knowledge, or if I've said something incorrect, please post.

[Timbit]

If you're a student in debt, do you have to pay zakat?

[ShahRukh]

Originally Posted by Timbit

If you're a student in debt, do you have to pay zakat?

No. If you're in debt, zakat is not obligatory on you. Unless you have assets in terms of car/gold/silver (except for bare necessities like clothes) that worth more than the value of your debt, then you'd be required to pay.

For more info check Darul Iftaa
and also sunnipath or askimam