Fatwa ID: 06617
Answered by: Ustadha Shaheen Yusuf
Question:
Assalamu alaikum Mufti Sahab, I follow Hanafi Fiqh. I have 2 questions regarding zakat.
- I have shares in the company I work for. I have no control or possession of those shares and I cannot redeem those shares until I resign or retire from the company. Sometimes, I receive dividends from the company, but not always. Do I need to pay Zakat on these shares? If yes, what is the procedure for it?
- I have invested some money in a small software company owned by my friend. Some years I get dividends from it and some years I don’t get any dividends. I cannot redeem the initial capital I invested until that company sells sometime in the future. What is the procedure for paying Zakat in this situation?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Owning a share (sometimes called a stock) means that you own a portion of a company and, provided the company turns a profit, will be entitled to a share of the profits. Shares also give you entitlement to key decisions regarding the business by making you a joint owner. The more shares you buy, the more you own and the more you can potentially earn. You can own shares in any public company.
If the company buys and sells merchandise, zakāt will be calculated on the capital investment as well as on the dividends. If the company does not buy and sell but only leases out properties, zakāt will only be calculated on the dividends earned, not on the capital amount.
If the company is a trading investment then zakāt is payable on the capital amount as well as the dividends.
If the company is not a trading investment and only receives income, for example from rentals of properties then zakāt is liable only for the dividends.
For example, a shareholder of a trading investment, zakāt is due at 2.5% of the percentage of shareholding on the capital, as well as on the dividends.
If you have shares which are not in your possession, zakāt will be on the market value of the shares.
- If you received dividends from your shares, you treat the money earned as cash and pay zakāt on it as you normally would with all other forms of cash.
الفتاوى الرحمية:١٥١/٧
الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي ١/١٠٣ — المَرْغِيناني
فصل في العروض
«الزكاة واجبة في عروض التجارة كائنة ما كانت إذا بلغت قيمتها نصابا من الورق أو الذهب» لقوله ﵊ فيها «يقومها فيؤدي من كل مائتي درهم خمسة دراهم» ولأنها معدة للاستنماء بإعداد العبد فأشبه المعد بإعداد الشرع وتشترط نية التجارة ليثبت الإعداد.
الفتاوى الهندية ١٧٩/١
“الزكاة واجبة في عروض التجارة كائنةً ما كانت إذا بلغت قيمتها نصاباً من الورق والذهب، كذا في الهداية. ويقوم بالمضروبة، كذا في التبيين۔ وتعتبر القيمة عند حولان الحول بعد أن تكون قيمتها في ابتداء الحول مائتي درهم من الدراهم الغالب عليها الفضة، كذا في المضمرات.”
الجوهرة النيرة على مختصر القدوري ١/١٢٠ — الحدادي
(قَوْلُهُ ومَن كانَ لَهُ نِصابٌ فاسْتَفادَ فِي أثْناءِ الحَوْلِ مالًا مِن جِنْسِهِ ضَمَّهُ إلى مالِهِ وزَكّاهُ) سَواءٌ كانَ المُسْتَفادُ مِن نَمائِهِ أوْ لا وبِأيِّ وجْهٍ اسْتَفادَهُ ضَمَّهُ
تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق وحاشية الشلبي ١/٢٧٢ — الزيلعي ، فخر الدين
قالَ – ﵀ – (ويُضَمُّ مُسْتَفادٌ مِن جِنْسِ نِصابٍ إلَيْهِ) يَعْنِي إذا كانَ لَهُ نِصابٌ فاسْتَفادَ فِي أثْناءِ الحَوْلِ مِن جِنْسِهِ ضَمَّهُ إلى ذَلِكَ النِّصابِ وزَكّاهُ بِهِ،
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Ustadha Shaheen Yusuf
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
