Zakaat on Animals

Q 1: On which kind of animals is Zakaat compulsory?A. Zakaat is compulsory on three kinds of animals i.e.camel, cow and goat if they are “Saa-imah” (those animals which graze in field in the greater part of the year).There is no Zakaat on horses, asses and mules even though they graze in field. If they are meant for trade then pay fortieth of their price as Zakaat. Buffalo and ox fall in the category of cow and sheep and ram in the category of goat for the purpose of Nisaab i.e. to count on other kind of animals if Nisaab is not complete with one kind of animal for the calculation of Zakaat.Q 2: Which kind of animals is called “Saa-imah”?A. “Saa-imah” is that animal which is reared purely for milk or breeding or as pet animal and also grazes in field in the greater part of the year and if it is fed on grass at home or is used for ploughing or as beast of burden or for riding then it is not “Saa-imah” even though it grazes in field. Zakaat is not due on it.Q 3: Is Zakaat due or not on the animals meant for trade?A. The animals which are meant for trade and also graze in field are not “Saa-imah”. Hence, Zakaat of the animals meant for trade will be calculated on their price.Q 4: When does Zakaat become due on animals?A. Zakaat becomes due on animals when they reach the minimum number of Nisaab i.e. camels: five, cattle (cows, buffaloes): thirty and goats: forty. They must be in possession of full one year and they all be of full one year on the close of Zakaat year otherwise Zakaat will not be due on them.Q 5: What is the method of paying Zakaat of animals?A. The detail of the Nisaab of animals and detailed injunctions in this context may be referred to in the voluminous books of “Fiqah” or be consulted with the religious scholars of Ahle Sunnat. However, the method of paying Zakaat on animals is briefly stated here that Zakaat will not be due if camels are less than five, cows,buffaloes are less than thirty and goats are less than forty. Zakaat of one goat for every five camels upto twenty-five camels is due. After twenty-five camels the calculation of Zakaat on them will change. In case of thirty cows,buffaloes, a calf of one year is due. This injunction will change when the number of cattle increases upto or beyond forty. And in case of goats, one goat for every forty goats is due upto 120 goats. After 120 goats the injunction will change.Q 6: Of which age should animal and which of the male and female be given in Zakaat?A. It is optional for the payer of Zakaat to give she-goat or he-goat in Zakaat but it must be of full one year. In case of less than one year the animal be counted in terms of its price not as head. It is also optional to either give animal in Zakaat or the price of the animal selected from among the herd for Zakaat.Q 7: Will Zakaat be due or not on one who is in possession of all kinds of animals which are less than Nissab?A. If one is in possession of camels, cows and goats but are, all or some, less than Nisaab, in such situation all kinds of animals will not be mixed up to complete the Nisaab and Zakaat will not be due on them.Q 8: Which kind of animals should be given in Zakaat?A. It is optional for one to give she-goat or he-goat in Zakaat of camels and where a camel of one or two or three or four years is to be given in Zakaat that should be she-camel. If he-camel is given then it should carry the price equal to that of she-camel otherwise it will not serve the purpose. And in case of cows,buffaloes and goats either of the two (male or female) can be given.Q 9: On whom of two persons who are partners in aminals will Zakaat be due?A. If share of both partners in animals is equal to Nisaab then Zakaat will be due on both of them otherwise not even though the joint stock has reached the Nisaab. In case, one’s share is equal to Nisaab and the other’s is not, then Zakaat will be due on the one who is in possession of animals’ Nisaab. For example, one partner has forty goats and the other has thirty, the owner of forty goats will have to pay Zakaat not of thirty’s.