Question :

Assalamualaikum Ustaz. I have a question. My only source of income is coming from unit trust investment dividends that does not exceed the ratio (nisab) which is not enough to support my wife and my disabled child who needs constant treatment. Do I still have to contribute to Zakat of Income? If I do, in order to pay Zakat I will have to sell my trust unit, which will lead to my yearly income eventually decreasing per year. I hope I can receive an explanation. Thank you.

Answer :

Waalaikumusalam :-

1. The requirement or Syarak Islam requires every individual who already has sufficient obligatory conditions (syarat wajib) on himself, then it is obligatory for him to pay zakat.
2. The conditions include : Islam, Solvency (Freedom from Debt), Abundance above Need, Has assets that exceed a minimum value, and Completion of Haul (for assets that has Haul).
3. Hence, in this issue where savings or investments are used for self-reliance, please use it first for this purpose.
4. However, when the near completion of Haul is reached, if the total amount of savings or investments is still exceeding the amount of nisab, that amount has to be go through Zakat.
5. Please do not worry and be anxious over the thought of Zakat will reduce your Rizq as the anxiety is in fact words from The Devil.
6. Allah SWT has reminded us :

الشَّيْطَانُ يَعِدُكُمُ الْفَقْرَ وَيَأْمُرُكُمْ بِالْفَحْشَاءِ ۖ وَاللَّهُ يَعِدُكُمْ مَغْفِرَةً مِنْهُ وَفَضْلًا ۗ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

7. Meaning : The Devil threatens you with ˹the prospect of˺ poverty and bids you to the shameful deed ˹of stinginess˺, while Allah promises you forgiveness and ˹great˺ bounties from Him. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing. (Al-Baqarah: 268)
8. Instead, our act of withholding property by being stingy and refusing to pay zakat is the cause of the destruction and loss of property.
9. Prophet Muhammad PBUH once said:

مَا مِنْ يَوْمٍ يُصبِحُ العِبادُ فِيهِ إِلَّا مَلَكَانِ يَنْزِلانِ، فَيَقُولُ أَحَدُهُمَا: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا، وَيَقُولُ الآخَرُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِكًا تَلَفًا

10. Meaning : "Everyday two angels descend and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate (more) to the person who gives (in charity)'; while the other one says, 'O Allah! Destroy the one who withholds (charity, etc)". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
11. In Selangor, the fatwa stipulates that the amount of investment and savings must be combined with gold (if the jewellery exceeds the legal limit, and gold is not jewellery, whatever the amount is) for zakat.
12. If the amount combined is clearly under nisab, then they shall be exempted from zakat.

والله أعلام

Prepared by :

Ustaz Hamizul bin Abdul Hamid,

Head of Dawah and Consultation Department,

Division of Syaria and Dawah,

Lembaga Zakat Selangor (MAIS).

Date of Input: 31/01/2023 | Updated: 03/05/2023 | rizal_helmi