Zakat ommiting amount from total 2.5%- if you still owe money?

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seekingknowledge

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So if you owe money; say outstanding bills,do you ommit that?
So do you subtract the amount from all the zakat you have to give the 2.5% from the whole amount you have?
 
Yes. At the end of your Zakaat year, you pay 2.5% of your net wealth: current wealth minus debt owed plus any money owed *to* you (e.g. if you loaned out money you still pay Zakaat on that).
 
Jazakallah khurn say my water bill is outstanding as I pay in installments annually. Is that my debt? Include it or exclude it please?
 
seekingknowledge said:
Jazakallah khurn say my water bill is outstanding as I pay in installments annually. Is that my debt? Include it or exclude it please?
Click to expand...
I have no hadith to back up what I am saying, so take with a grain of salt please. I'm basing this respone on my personal logic, intuition, whatever.

If your water bill is something that you pay anually, that doesn't sound like a debt. It sounds like a contractual agreement. So, you pay your water bill once a year, instead of monthly, in return you have water for a year. That's like a phone bill, yeah?

If you don't pay, you don't get water.

Debt? More like, you ask a friend to borrow you some money because you go through hard times, and you say that you'll pay him back once things are better and you've recovered. Until you've payed him back the money he's lent you, it's debt.

So, I would not include your water bill into the calculations.
 
xChris said:
Debt? More like, you ask a friend to borrow you some money because you go through hard times, and you say that you'll pay him back once things are better and you've recovered. Until you've payed him back the money he's lent you, it's debt.
Click to expand...

I think the thought here, speaking from a logical standpoint, is that the money is not really yours, therefore you don't count it as yours, and you don't pay tax on something that is yours. Since the friend has lent you money to help you out, you are basically using and holding his money, and you will return that to him.

On the flipside, since this friend has lent you money, he is still taxed on it because whatever ammount he lent to you, still belongs to him. It's just money that is in your posession for a temporary time.

Anyways, I hope this helps at all. And I also hope that others reply to this, and we have some different opinions. Once again, I don't have any hadith, this is just me speaking from personal "wisdom", which is nothing of course in the grand scheme of things.
 
xChris said:
I have no hadith to back up what I am saying, so take with a grain of salt please. I'm basing this respone on my personal logic, intuition, whatever.

If your water bill is something that you pay anually, that doesn't sound like a debt. It sounds like a contractual agreement. So, you pay your water bill once a year, instead of monthly, in return you have water for a year. That's like a phone bill, yeah?

If you don't pay, you don't get water.

Debt? More like, you ask a friend to borrow you some money because you go through hard times, and you say that you'll pay him back once things are better and you've recovered. Until you've payed him back the money he's lent you, it's debt.

So, I would not include your water bill into the calculations.
Click to expand...

They want you to pay it but you insist on paying installments as you're struggling. I mean really struggling. There are poor people in the UK but we just hide it well.

They want you to pay the gas and electric but you choose to pay in installments because you're in debt with them.
Struggling I'm behind in payments but they are very understandable. People have thousands and thousands ,you barely have anything so how can we pay zakat when we barely can survive in this epidemic?

So I'm still confused.
 
xChris said:
I have no hadith to back up what I am saying, so take with a grain of salt please. I'm basing this respone on my personal logic, intuition, whatever.

If your water bill is something that you pay anually, that doesn't sound like a debt. It sounds like a contractual agreement. So, you pay your water bill once a year, instead of monthly, in return you have water for a year. That's like a phone bill, yeah?

If you don't pay, you don't get water.

Debt? More like, you ask a friend to borrow you some money because you go through hard times, and you say that you'll pay him back once things are better and you've recovered. Until you've payed him back the money he's lent you, it's debt.

So, I would not include your water bill into the calculations.
Click to expand...

They want you to pay it but you insist on paying installments as you're struggling. I mean really struggling. There are poor people in the UK but we just hide it well.

They want you to pay the gas and electric but you choose to pay in installments because you're in debt with them.
Struggling I'm behind in payments but they are very understandable. People have thousands and thousands ,you barely have anything so how can we pay zakat when we barely can survive in this epidemic?

So I'm still confused.

- - - Updated - - -

Like it's all my fault for getting myself into this situation.
I was never a saver, live for today.
I've never had a pot for a rainy day.
Spending ridiculous money on ridiculous things.

May Allah forgive me.
I regret every penny I've wasted
 
I'm not quite sure I understand your situation. I'm not really understanding your utility bill situation. I live in the United States. Here, we use water for a month, then we get a bill. If we don't pay our bill, our water is cut out. So, I am not understanding your situation or how it works there.

I also have had a problem in the past of spending unwisely (and sometimes still do, impulsively doing things). It's something that should be repented of. It's very easy to waste money, nowadays. But, we should be wise with our money, yeah? Make yourself a set budget for leisure spending, like 100 or 200 a month. Don't go beyond that. If you want something that costs more, save your leisure money for a couple of months and use that to pay for what you want. That's my suggestion. You can also look into maybe online classes for finance and budget. It's all dependent on what you need.

That being said, don't beat yourself up too much. Life is a growing process. Recognize mistakes from the past and try to change your habits and grow from them.

You should look online, for example, check this page

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisab

There is a minimum ammount for Zakat, it's called Nisab. It's about 300$ today. If you have less than the Nisab ammount, you don't pay Zakat.

This is actually a GREAT PDF I saw online (just now) about Zakat. I suggest you check it out! It was made under advisement of many scholars, and it goes really in depth about things.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2RuJSr62P3tDUOjb6gzA7X

I hope this helps.

I have to say, if we are so overburdened by paying Zakat that we will starve, or go homeless, or face serious serious troubles, I don't think it's meant that we pay Zakat in such a situation. I don't know this, by fact, but I know that God is merciful and I am guessing by his nature that he would not wish for you to lose everything just to pay Zakat. Zakat is to help the poor after all, isn't it? So if we are the ones who are extremely poor, maybe there is mercy for us. So really, check the PDF out, understand deeply how Zakat is calculated.

Google some things online.

I'm very new to Islamic principle, in such deep subjects as this. I don't know many Hadith, but I am learning. That being said, I do know God, and some of his qualities. It is from my assumption that God does not wish to make things unbearable for you. I will pray for you, that you may be guided, and find the strength to endure any trials, that you may grow in faith and love.
 
I'm not quite sure I understand your situation. I'm not really understanding your utility bill situation. I live in the United States. Here, we use water for a month, then we get a bill. If we don't pay our bill, our water is cut out. So, I am not understanding your situation or how it works there.

I also have had a problem in the past of spending unwisely (and sometimes still do, impulsively doing things). It's something that should be repented of. It's very easy to waste money, nowadays. But, we should be wise with our money, yeah? Make yourself a set budget for leisure spending, like 100 or 200 a month. Don't go beyond that. If you want something that costs more, save your leisure money for a couple of months and use that to pay for what you want. That's my suggestion. You can also look into maybe online classes for finance and budget. It's all dependent on what you need.

That being said, don't beat yourself up too much. Life is a growing process. Recognize mistakes from the past and try to change your habits and grow from them.

You should look online, for example, check this page

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisab

There is a minimum ammount for Zakat, it's called Nisab. It's about 300$ today. If you have less than the Nisab ammount, you don't pay Zakat.

This is actually a GREAT PDF I saw online (just now) about Zakat. I suggest you check it out! It was made under advisement of many scholars, and it goes really in depth about things.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAxAB&usg=AOvVaw2RuJSr62P3tDUOjb6gzA7X

I hope this helps.

I have to say, if we are so overburdened by paying Zakat that we will starve, or go homeless, or face serious serious troubles, I don't think it's meant that we pay Zakat in such a situation. I don't know this, by fact, but I know that God is merciful and I am guessing by his nature that he would not wish for you to lose everything just to pay Zakat. Zakat is to help the poor after all, isn't it? So if we are the ones who are extremely poor, maybe there is mercy for us. So really, check the PDF out, understand deeply how Zakat is calculated.

Google some things online.

I'm very new to Islamic principle, in such deep subjects as this. I don't know many Hadith, but I am learning. That being said, I do know God, and some of his qualities. It is from my assumption that God does not wish to make things unbearable for you. I will pray for you, that you may be guided, and find the strength to endure any trials, that you may grow in faith and love.
 
Asalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu

You are best to ask a scholar

Check out assim al Hakeem on Twitter as he usually replies quickly
 
xChris said:
I have no hadith to back up what I am saying, so take with a grain of salt please. I'm basing this respone on my personal logic, intuition, whatever.

If your water bill is something that you pay anually, that doesn't sound like a debt. It sounds like a contractual agreement. So, you pay your water bill once a year, instead of monthly, in return you have water for a year. That's like a phone bill, yeah?

If you don't pay, you don't get water.

Debt? More like, you ask a friend to borrow you some money because you go through hard times, and you say that you'll pay him back once things are better and you've recovered. Until you've payed him back the money he's lent you, it's debt.

So, I would not include your water bill into the calculations.
Click to expand...

I didn't realise you were a Christian. I hope you don't take this offense I just wanted muslims to answer my questions thank you.

I got my answer I will ask somebody else via Twitter thank you anyhow.
 
Oh the Saudi one I got confused with Hakeem quick.

There is no messaging link I'm unable to message him
It doesn't matter
I'll figure something out
 
I don't appreciate my comment being blown away like it did, but I do understand why it was. You're right, I am not a Muslim, and I do not have deep knowledge of Islamic teachings. That being said, I am someone who has explored basically most religion / philosophy DEEPLY (I am now learning about Islam). Mainstream religions like Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity. I have went into occultism, also polytheistic and very old ways. I have explored the old, and the new. Odinism, Wicca, Druidism, left hand path, voodoo, Siberian Shamanism, blah blah blah.

My purpose, was always to find the truth. Maybe these things I've been through in life was a trial, but I have to tell you man. I don't have Islamic scholarly degrees, but I have learned how things work here in life, and I have developed a relationship with God. I understand much beyond what most people will ever understand. I say this not to be prideful, I say this that you shouldn't disregard my opinion like I know nothing about anything..

God is merciful, and God is not trying to make hardship in your life. He is not seeking to destroy your life, he loves you. If you are having hard time paying Zakat because you are flat out broke, and you have many debts, do you not think there would be mercy for your situation?

I don't know why my other post was removed, because I was speaking literal Islamic principles. With Zakat, there is the principle of Nisab. If you have less than a certain amount, you do not pay Zakat on this amount.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisab

Also, I gave a link to a VERY helpful PDF that was put together with scholarly advice on calculating Zakat.

Once again, there's no reason my other post should have been disregard or pushed aside.

This is the PDF about Zakat which I think will help you a lot.

https://www.hidaya.org/documents/ma...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2RuJSr62P3tDUOjb6gzA7X

Now, I know you want a Muslim to reply. And I do understand. Perhaps a Christian shouldn't be giving a Muslim advice about Islam. I probably won't do this again, unless I become a Muslim and more experienced. That being said, you shouldn't disregard the things that I say.

I am a student of the truth, I always have been. So, regardless of what religion it is, I will go to where the truth lays. I was made aware the error of my ways when I was ignorant and blind, by God, when I was deep in occultism. He witnessed to me, and called me, and I repented and came to Christianity, and I have developed much with God. That being said, I'm not sure if God was leading me to Christianity. I went with it only because it's what I grew up with, and it's what I thought to be the truth at the time. When God witnessed to me, it was like a thunderbolt. There was much fear when I realized the totality of God's providence, so I went to what I thought was the truth. That being said, I am currently between Christianity and Islam, and regardless of what happens, it is the will of God, because I am very faithful to the truth.

That being said, you shouldn't disregard what I am saying. Me giving you this PDF on deep principles of Zakat and calculation, from Islamic scholars, how does that go against anything?

And how does me saying God is merciful and doesn't wish to destroy your life go against anything? It's the truth. Perhaps there is obligation, but there is always leniency with God. There is never a situation we are in, where there is no way out for us. If anything, you can pray that God might give you the money to pay Zakat.. but like I was trying to say, check the PDF. You'd be surprised.
 
xChris said:
I don't appreciate my comment being blown away like it did, but I do understand why it was. You're right, I am not a Muslim, and I do not have deep knowledge of Islamic teachings. That being said, I am someone who has explored basically most religion / philosophy DEEPLY (I am now learning about Islam). Mainstream religions like Buddhism, Daoism, Hinduism, Christianity. I have went into occultism, also polytheistic and very old ways. I have explored the old, and the new. Odinism, Wicca, Druidism, left hand path, voodoo, Siberian Shamanism, blah blah blah.

My purpose, was always to find the truth. Maybe these things I've been through in life was a trial, but I have to tell you man. I don't have Islamic scholarly degrees, but I have learned how things work here in life, and I have developed a relationship with God. I understand much beyond what most people will ever understand. I say this not to be prideful, I say this that you shouldn't disregard my opinion like I know nothing about anything..

God is merciful, and God is not trying to make hardship in your life. He is not seeking to destroy your life, he loves you. If you are having hard time paying Zakat because you are flat out broke, and you have many debts, do you not think there would be mercy for your situation?

I don't know why my other post was removed, because I was speaking literal Islamic principles. With Zakat, there is the principle of Nisab. If you have less than a certain amount, you do not pay Zakat on this amount.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisab

Also, I gave a link to a VERY helpful PDF that was put together with scholarly advice on calculating Zakat.

Once again, there's no reason my other post should have been disregard or pushed aside.

This is the PDF about Zakat which I think will help you a lot.

https://www.hidaya.org/documents/ma...FjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2RuJSr62P3tDUOjb6gzA7X

Now, I know you want a Muslim to reply. And I do understand. Perhaps a Christian shouldn't be giving a Muslim advice about Islam. I probably won't do this again, unless I become a Muslim and more experienced. That being said, you shouldn't disregard the things that I say.

I am a student of the truth, I always have been. So, regardless of what religion it is, I will go to where the truth lays. I was made aware the error of my ways when I was ignorant and blind, by God, when I was deep in occultism. He witnessed to me, and called me, and I repented and came to Christianity, and I have developed much with God. That being said, I'm not sure if God was leading me to Christianity. I went with it only because it's what I grew up with, and it's what I thought to be the truth at the time. When God witnessed to me, it was like a thunderbolt. There was much fear when I realized the totality of God's providence, so I went to what I thought was the truth. That being said, I am currently between Christianity and Islam, and regardless of what happens, it is the will of God, because I am very faithful to the truth.

That being said, you shouldn't disregard what I am saying. Me giving you this PDF on deep principles of Zakat and calculation, from Islamic scholars, how does that go against anything?

And how does me saying God is merciful and doesn't wish to destroy your life go against anything? It's the truth. Perhaps there is obligation, but there is always leniency with God. There is never a situation we are in, where there is no way out for us. If anything, you can pray that God might give you the money to pay Zakat.. but like I was trying to say, check the PDF. You'd be surprised.
Click to expand...


Hi brother hope you are well

These issues are deeper than you think they get really complicated. If it was a muslim advising what you did I'd still tell her to ask a scholar

Islamic knowledge is really deep. To pass verdicts on issues is not left up to the average Muslim as you have to study for years.

Muslims speak without knowledge all the time especially on forums and make some mistakes that have serious implications. Sometimes it even goes so far as marriages breaking up or people leaving Islam because of a post on a forum that was answered wrongly whereas if it was referred to the scholars the actual position of Islam is the opposite

May Allah bless you I really appreciate how you seem so sincere and kind so please dont get offended. If it makes you feel better I delete muslims answering fiqh issues all the time lol and I hadn't deleted your answer
 
If you are interested in learning a bit about how technical the fiqh of zakah is try watching some of these lectures to gain an insight how intricate the issue is


I dont even consider myself capable of answering fiqh questions so dont take this personally

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdUDkYS6dU257a3f_xAhWGvqFPCknGnzp

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Buloogh al-Maram - YouTube
...[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


These are only dealing with fiqh of zakah and could seem boring so I dont expect you to listen to all of it btw
 
eesa the kiwi said:
If you are interested in learning a bit about how technical the fiqh of zakah is try watching some of these lectures to gain an insight how intricate the issue is


I dont even consider myself capable of answering fiqh questions so dont take this personally

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdUDkYS6dU257a3f_xAhWGvqFPCknGnzp

[TABLE="class: grid, width: 100%, align: center"]
[TR]
[TD]Buloogh al-Maram - YouTube
...[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


These are only dealing with fiqh of zakah and could seem boring so I dont expect you to listen to all of it btw
Click to expand...

No of course not. I wouldn't take anything personally from you. You're only helping.

You are very helpful here even as a moderator.
Jazakallah khurn.
Mashallah congratulations. I didn't know you were a moderator on this forum.
 
It seems like there is a bit of confusion or uncertainty in the response to the question on outstanding water bills. It is money you owe, and any money you owe is debt, and any debt is subtracted from your wealth in calculating zakat.

For example, if you have $10,000 and owe $200 in water bills, you pay 2.5= on $9,800.
 
moinudin said:
It seems like there is a bit of confusion or uncertainty in the response to the question on outstanding water bills. It is money you owe, and any money you owe is debt, and any debt is subtracted from your wealth in calculating zakat.

For example, if you have $10,000 and owe $200 in water bills, you pay 2.5= on $9,800.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! That's what I was trying explain and you understood.

Much appreciated.
 

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