Does anyone have a spreadsheet 'template' they might be able to share with me?
For the past few years (since something like 2002) I've been maintaining a spreadsheet until 2016 and making my payments. However I think it may be wrong. In 2016 onwards having doubts in my own zakat calculations in the past I began to base my calc on 'The National Zakat Foundation' website hosted in the UK. Although somewhat content with it, today I attended a zakat calculator workshop presented by a very knowledgeable mufti. He went in to quite some detail. Whilst calculations were carried out by me in the past I always did pay extra to account for any errors unseen by me. The calculation of zakat is more complicated then I thought, so many rulings to take into account. I mean the more assets and liabilities you have the more complicated it gets.
He covered rulings on the following
- Gold (any form) and silver (precious stones and platinum excluded)
- Liquid cash
- Property owned and the residual income gained from it
- The buying to let and buying to sell property/business
- Money owed to me as a individual or as a proprietor
- Business fixed assets.
- Business stock, how the stock is valued and residual income from i.e. sale
- Shares in a business or in a large company
- Defined pension scheme contributions where a fund manager is involved.
I just found it very complicated. It's like learning a whole new module at university.
Some or the above is relevant to me, however some are not I.e. I dont have a business.
Il continue to use the NZF website unless someone has a spreadsheet handy which is simple to use especially for a employee like me as opposed to being a business owner.
I just want to be able to re-affirm that my calculation is right or make amends. Apparently we aren't supposed to guesstimate a figure and pay it, we are supposed to calculate and account for zakat accurately as possible as a baseline before declaring the zakat amount for that lunar year. May Allah swt guide us all and forgive us for our shortcomings. May Allah give us barakah in our earnings and advance us in knowledge in our religious duties and affairs the same way he has blessed us with means of earning, our rizq, our sustenance and taking responsibility for the wellbeing of ourselves and our families and those we help that are in need insh Allah.
Any suggestions simplified but valid, much appreciated.
Mufti saab did say theres different calcs depending on which school of thought we follow. I myself follow sunni hanafi, the same as the mufti who delivered the lecture today. He was helpful, however he has triggered a need for us as individuals to review our annual zakat calculations. I mean we want to do the right thing off course. Make payments for the sake of Allahs swt and as a key pillar in our religion and he will replenish and recompense you insh Allah. Ameen summa Ameen.
This takes me back to my student days, when Fiqh lessons included a hefty dose of maths!
I use the National Zakat Foundation's calculator too. It’s authentic and does take these things into account. They have Ulama on board, including those who follow the Hanafi interpretation. The Help section might be of use: https://help.nzf.org.uk/en/
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