Zakat Calculator

What is zakat?

Zakat is the third pillar of Islam and a compulsory act of worship in which eligible Muslims give a set share of their surplus wealth to those in need. The word carries the sense of both purification and growth: giving zakat purifies the remaining wealth and the heart of the giver from greed, while circulating money to those who need it strengthens the wider community. Unlike a tax, zakat is an act of devotion with defined rules drawn from the Qur’an and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This calculator applies mainstream Sunni fiqh so you can work out what you owe in a few minutes. Enter the current value of each asset, list the debts you may deduct, and the tool applies the 2.5% rate once your total is confirmed above nisab. If you are new to the subject, read how to calculate zakat step by step first, then return here to run the numbers.

It is worth stressing what this site is and is not. It is an independent reference and calculator built to help you understand the rules and do the arithmetic accurately. It is not a charity, so it does not collect or distribute your zakat, and it is not a fatwa service, so its explanations are guidance rather than a binding legal ruling for your exact situation. Where the four schools of thought disagree, we note the difference plainly so you can follow the position of your own madhhab or scholar.

Why use a zakat calculator?

Zakat looks simple on paper — 2.5% of your wealth — but the details trip many people up. You have to know which assets count, how to value gold and shares, which debts you may subtract, whether you have reached nisab, and whether a full lunar year has passed. Doing this by hand every year invites mistakes, especially when your wealth is spread across cash, metals, investments and a business. A calculator keeps the method consistent, reduces the risk of underpaying or overpaying, and gives you a clear record of how the figure was reached. It also updates the nisab against current metal prices, which is the single value most likely to change from one year to the next.

Live nisab threshold

Because nisab tracks the market price of gold and silver, the cash value changes daily. The widget below shows an up-to-date estimate of both thresholds so you can see instantly whether your wealth qualifies. If your net zakatable wealth is at or above the lower (silver) figure, zakat is generally due.

For a fuller explanation of how the threshold is set and which metal to use, see our dedicated nisab guide.

How much is zakat? The 2.5% rate

On monetary wealth — cash, savings, gold, silver, trade goods and shares held for resale — the rate is 2.5%, which is one-fortieth of the total. The figure is not arbitrary: it comes from the established practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and is agreed upon across the four Sunni schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali). A small number of assets carry different rates — for example, certain agricultural produce is due at 5% or 10%, and mined treasure (rikaz) at 20% — but for the everyday wealth most people hold, 2.5% is the figure that applies.

The arithmetic is simple. Multiply your net zakatable wealth by 0.025, or divide it by 40. If your net zakatable wealth is 10,000 in your currency, your zakat is 250. If it is 40,000, your zakat is 1,000. Because the rate is proportional, it scales fairly: those with more surplus give more, and those with less give less, while anyone below nisab gives nothing at all that year.

The nisab: gold vs silver

Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth a Muslim must own before zakat becomes obligatory. It is fixed in weight of precious metal and converted to your local currency at current prices.

The two metals were roughly equal in value in early Islam, but silver is now far cheaper, so the silver nisab produces a much lower cash threshold. Using the silver figure means more people qualify and more of the poor receive support, which is why many contemporary scholars and charities recommend it, especially when your wealth is a mixture of cash and assets rather than gold alone. Where the madhhabs differ, this is a genuine and openly acknowledged difference of opinion, not an error. Learn more on the nisab page.

Hawl: the zakat year

Zakat is due once every hawl — one full lunar (Hijri) year, which is about 354 days, some 11 days shorter than the solar year. The hawl begins on the day your wealth first reaches nisab and completes exactly one lunar year later. If your wealth stayed at or above nisab throughout that year, zakat is payable on the total you hold on the anniversary date, even if the amount rose and fell in between. Only if your wealth drops entirely below nisab does the clock reset and a new hawl begin when you next cross the threshold.

The hawl condition does not apply to everything. Farm produce is due at harvest, and some scholars treat certain other income differently, but for cash, gold, silver, savings and shares the one-year rule is the norm. Because the lunar year is shorter than the solar year, paying strictly on a fixed Gregorian date each year will gradually cause you to miss a payment over time, so tracking a Hijri date is more accurate.

What wealth is zakatable?

Broadly, zakat is due on productive or liquid wealth held beyond your needs, and not on personal-use items. The table below summarises the common categories.

How to calculate zakat step by step

The method is the same whatever your mix of assets:

1. Add the current value of all zakatable assets.
2. Subtract debts and bills that are due, such as this month’s rent, immediate loan instalments and outstanding invoices.
3. Compare the net figure with the nisab threshold.
4. If it meets or exceeds nisab and a hawl has passed, multiply by 2.5%.

Worked example:

Here 12,000 comfortably exceeds a silver-based nisab, and one lunar year has passed, so 300 is due. For a full walkthrough with edge cases, see how to calculate zakat.

Zakat on specific assets

Cash and savings

All cash you own — physical, in current and savings accounts, and in digital wallets — is zakatable at 2.5% of the balance on your hawl date. Do not count interest as part of your own wealth; most scholars advise removing it and giving it away separately without seeking reward. Details on zakat on cash.

Gold and silver

Investment gold and silver are always zakatable. Jewellery in regular personal use is treated differently by the schools: the Hanafi view holds that gold and silver jewellery is zakatable, while the Maliki, Shafi’i and Hanbali positions generally exempt jewellery worn for permitted adornment. Value the metal at its current resale price, not the price you paid. See zakat on gold.

Shares and investments

If you buy shares to trade, their full market value is zakatable. If you hold them long-term for dividends, most scholars require zakat only on the zakatable portion of the underlying company (broadly its cash, receivables and stock rather than fixed assets like buildings and machinery); a common simplification is to pay on around a quarter to a third of the market value if you cannot obtain the exact figure. See zakat on stocks.

Business assets

Traders pay zakat on stock held for sale, plus cash and good receivables, minus short-term liabilities. Fixed assets used to run the business — premises, vehicles, machinery — are not zakatable. See zakat on business.

Cryptocurrency, pensions and property

Most contemporary scholars treat tradable cryptocurrency like cash or trade goods, so 2.5% applies to its value on your hawl date. Pensions you can access and direct are usually zakatable on the accessible balance. For property, your home is exempt; property bought to flip is zakatable at full value; and for a rental you pay zakat on the net rent you still hold at year end, not on the building itself.

Who receives zakat?

The Qur’an (Surah At-Tawbah, 9:60) names exactly eight categories of eligible recipients, and scholars agree zakat must go only to these groups:

• The poor (al-fuqara).
• The needy (al-masakin).
• Those employed to administer and collect zakat.
• Those whose hearts are to be reconciled.
• To free those in bondage or captivity.
• Those burdened by legitimate debt.
• In the cause of Allah (fi sabilillah).
• The stranded traveller.

Zakat generally cannot be given to your own dependants you are already obliged to support, such as parents, children or spouse, and the majority view is that it should not go to non-Muslims except within specific categories. For the detail, see who is eligible for zakat.

When should you pay? Ramadan and beyond

Zakat becomes due the moment your hawl completes, on whatever date that falls. Many Muslims deliberately align their zakat with Ramadan to gain the greater reward of giving in that month, which is a good practice, but it is important not to delay payment far beyond your due date without reason. If you have not tracked your hawl, choose a fixed Hijri date each year, calculate on that day, and pay promptly.

Zakat al-Fitr

Separate from the annual zakat on wealth is zakat al-fitr, a small obligatory charity paid at the end of Ramadan before the Eid prayer. It is a fixed measure of staple food (or its cash value) given per person in the household, including children, and its purpose is to purify the fast and ensure the poor can also celebrate Eid. It is not calculated as a percentage of wealth.

Common zakat mistakes to avoid

• Using the solar year instead of the shorter lunar year, which slightly delays payment.
• Valuing gold at purchase price rather than current resale value.
• Deducting the full balance of long-term loans and mortgages; generally only the instalment due, not the whole debt, is deducted.
• Forgetting money owed to you that you expect to recover.
• Counting interest as your own zakatable wealth.
• Assuming jewellery is automatically exempt without checking your madhhab.

Zakat vs sadaqah

Zakat is obligatory, fixed at 2.5%, restricted to the eight categories, and due once a hawl passes. Sadaqah is voluntary charity with no minimum, no maximum and no fixed recipients, and it can be given at any time to almost any good cause. Both are rewarded, but only zakat discharges the pillar. For a side-by-side comparison, read zakat vs sadaqah.

This page is for guidance only, not a fatwa; rulings vary by madhhab; consult a qualified scholar for your own circumstances.

Frequently asked questions