Fatwa ID: 04824 

Answered by: Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid

Question

Asalamualaikum, I have some assets and I recently bought a house as well in the UK through a conventional mortgage. It is my understanding that the Zakat is due to be paid net of obligations. When I calculate the zakat next time around do I need to factor in the loan/mortgage that I have on the house (as the house is not considered for the purpose of Zakat computation)? 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

The general rule of an item bought, but not fully paid is that it will be considered as a debt. (1) However, the Islamic Jurists have made a distinction between long-term debt and short-term debt. They state that short-term debts will be deducted before calculating zakat from the zakatable assets and long-term debt will not be deducted before calculating zakat from the zakatable assets. (2)

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammed Kamran Abid

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

1 (وَمِنْهَا الْفَرَاغُ عَنْ الدَّيْنِ) قَالَ أَصْحَابُنَا – رَحِمَهُمْ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى -: كُلُّ دَيْنٍ لَهُ مُطَالِبٌ مِنْ جِهَةِ الْعِبَادِ يَمْنَعُ وُجُوبَ الزَّكَاةِ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ الدَّيْنُ لِلْعِبَادِ كَالْقَرْضِ وَثَمَنِ الْبَيْعِ وَضَمَانِ الْمُتْلَفَاتِ وَأَرْشِ الْجِرَاحَةِ، وَسَوَاءٌ كَانَ الدَّيْنُ مِنْ النُّقُودِ أَوْ الْمَكِيلِ أَوْ الْمَوْزُونِ أَوْ الثِّيَابِ أَوْ الْحَيَوَانِ وَجَبَ بِخُلْعٍ أَوْ صُلْحٍ عَنْ دَمِ عَمْدٍ، وَهُوَ حَالٌّ أَوْ مُؤَجَّلٌ أَوْ لِلَّهِ – تَعَالَى –

(الفتاوى الهندية, vol. 1, pg. 172, دار الفكر)

2 Jadeed Fiqhi Masaail, vol. 1, pg. 144-145, Zamzam Publishers