QUESTION
Assalamualaikum. I would like to ask, is it permissible for someone to expedite the payment of zakat even if the haul (one-year period) has not been completed due to a necessity, such as an urgent need among the asnaf (eligible recipients)?
Seeking clarification. Thank you.
ANSWER
Alhamdulillah, all praise is due to Allah SWT, Lord of the universe. Peace and blessings be upon the beloved Prophet Muhammad SAW, his family, and all who follow in his footsteps until the Day of Judgment.
Firstly, it is fundamentally obligatory to pay zakat when the required nisab (minimum amount) is reached and the haul (one lunar year) period is completed. Therefore, the conditions for zakat obligation are as follows:
i) Islam, zakat is not obligatory for non-Muslims.
ii) The nisab amount is determined, which is the minimum wealth threshold required to make zakat obligatory.
iii) The haul period (one lunar year), which means that the wealth must have been held in possession for a full lunar year. (Refer to al-Fiqh al-Manhaji fi Fiqh al-Syafi’e, 2:8)
iv) This is based on a hadith of the Prophet SAW narrated from Saidina Ali Ibn Abi Talib RA, where the Prophet SAW said:
وَلَيْسَ فِي مَالٍ زَكَاةٌ حَتَّى يَحُولَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْلُ
Meaning: Zakat on wealth is not obligatory until a lunar year has passed.
[Narrated by Abu Daud (1573) and Ibn Majah (1789)]
From this, it is understood that if wealth does not meet the required nisab (minimum amount), then zakat is not obligatory. However, a question arises: Is it permissible to expedite the payment of zakat before the haul (completion of one lunar year) due to certain pressing needs or urgent situations faced by the beneficiaries (asnaf)?
This matter has been discussed among scholars. The majority (jumhur) of scholars view it as permissible to expedite the payment of zakat before the haul, especially if there is a pressing need, such as when the beneficiaries are in urgent need of the zakat.
They base this view on a hadith in which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) granted a concession (rukhsah) to his uncle, Sayyidina Abbas, to pay his zakat before the haul. The hadith is as follows:
فعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّ الْعَبَّاسَ سَأَلَ النبي صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ في تعجيلِ صَدَقَته قبل أنْ تَحُلَّ، فرَخَّصَ في ذلك
Meaning: From Sayyidina Ali RA, that Sayyidina 'Abbas asked the Prophet (PBUH) for permission to expedite the payment of his zakat before the haul (completion of one lunar year), and the Prophet (PBUH) granted him a concession for this matter.
[Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud: (1624)]
This is similar to what is stated in fiqh books, such as in the book Nihayatul al-Muhtaj Sharh al-Minhaj:
يجوز تعجيلها في المال الحولي قبل تمام الحول فيما انعقد حوله ووجد النصاب فيه؛ لأنه صلى الله عليه وسلم أرخص في التعجيل للعباس
Meaning: It is permissible to expedite zakat payment on wealth that is obligated for zakat before the completion of one full haul if the haul has not yet completed and the wealth has met the nisab requirement. This is because the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave a concession to Saidina 'Abbas (RA) to expedite his zakat payment. (Refer to Nihayatul Muhtaj Sharh al-Minhaj, 3:141)
This is the same as what Ibn al-Qudamah concluded in his book, al-Mughni, which states:
وجملته أنه متى وجد سبب وجوب الزكاة وهو النصاب الكامل جاز تقديم الزكاة
Meaning: In summary, when there is a primary cause that obliges zakat—namely, when the nisab is fully met—it is permissible to expedite the zakat payment. (Refer to al-Mughni Li Ibn Qudamah, 2:499)
However, scholars have established specific conditions for expediting the payment of zakat before the haul period is complete. These conditions are as follows [1]:
The zakat payer must possess the sufficient nisab (minimum threshold) at the time they wish to expedite the payment of zakat. If they do not possess the nisab, the zakat payment is not valid.
ولا يجوز تعجيل الزكاة قبل ملك النصاب بغير خلاف علمناه
Meaning: It is not permissible to expedite the payment of zakat before having sufficient nisab, without any difference of opinion according to what we know. (Rujuk al-Mughni Li Ibn al-Qudamah, 4:80)
The zakat payment should be expedited for only one year. It is not allowed to pay zakat for future years beyond a single year. This is because the second year has not yet begun, meaning zakat is paid before possessing nisab as mentioned in the first condition.
It is also required that the sufficient nisab is present until the end of the haul (one-year period). If the wealth is destroyed or sold before the haul is complete, then the payment made beforehand is not considered zakat.
The recipient of the zakat should still qualify as an asnaf (zakat-eligible recipient) until the end of the haul. If they become wealthy or are no longer asnaf by the haul’s end, then the payment made before that point is not counted as zakat.
Conclusion
Based on the discussion above, we conclude that it is permissible and valid to expedite the payment of zakat before the haul is completed. This aligns with the opinion of the majority of scholars, following specific guidelines and conditions mentioned earlier.
Thus, if there is an urgent need for certain asnaf (eligible zakat recipients), it is permissible for zakat payers to expedite their zakat payment without waiting for the haul to complete. This can serve as an initiative to assist the asnaf community in relieving their burden, and such charitable acts will be rewarded significantly by Allah.
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ۚ وَمَا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنفُسِكُم مِّنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِندَ اللَّـهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Allah says: "And establish prayer and give zakat, and whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. Indeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing."
(Surah al-Baqarah: 110)
May Allah grant us proper understanding in implementing His laws with sincerity and devotion. Amin.
WaAllahu a’lam.
Reference Source:
Federal Territories Mufti Office
