Important Zakaat Clarification - What is Hawlaanul Hawl?

[ummtaalib]

Important Zakaat Clarification – What is Hawlaanul Hawl?

 

In Arabic there is a terminology that occurs commonly when discussing Zakaat. This terminology, Hawlaanul Hawl, literally means the passing of a year. In the context of Zakaat, it refers to wealth being in a person’s possession for the duration of an entire lunar year.

 

In our experience, this terminology is perhaps the most misunderstood concept when it comes to Zakaat calculation. Many people, based on the incorrect understanding of this concept, believe that wealth attained during the course of the year will not be Zakaatable unless one entire year passes with that wealth in one’s possession.

 

An example to illustrate this is, Abdullah pays his Zakaat every year on the 10^th of Ramadaan (which falls on 27 June 2015 this year). In January 2015, Abdullah received a lump sum of R150 000.00 from a deceased relative’s estate. When Abdullah calculated his Zakaat on the 27^th of June 2015, he excluded the R150 000.00, which he had saved, as according to his understanding, that amount was not Zakaatable. Abdullah’s understanding is incorrect.

 

Hawlaanul Hawl merely means that a person should have excess wealth that is more than the Zakaat Nisaab for the entire year. If this is found, then all wealth that accumulates during the year will be added to one’s Zakaatable assets and Zakaat will have to be paid on it. Therefore, as Abdullah was already paying Zakaat, he will add the R150 000.00 in to his Zakaat calculation and pay Zakaat on that amount as well.

 

This ruling applies to all monies received prior to the date of one’s Zakaat calculation as well as monies received on the day one calculates his Zakaat.

 

In essence, one will pay Zakaat on all money that one possesses on day of Zakaat calculation, irrespective of when that money was received.

 

Simply put, the Zakaatable amount is whatever amount you have at the time of Zakaat calculation.

 

Jamiatul Ulama (KZN)

Council of Muslim Theologians

223 Alpine Road, Overport

Durban, South Africa

[Arslan]

As-salaamu `alaykum

 

 

A very important clarification indeed. In this day of jahaalat, where the masses study for a degree for hours on end but never bother to learn basic fiqh for their daily activities (and thereby ruin/invalidate their worship), misconceptions and misunderstandings like these need to be eradicated.

 

A point to add: If one acquires nisaab, but later his wealth dips BELOW nisaab during the year, but at the end of the year he has wealth above nisaab, even then he must pay zakaat on all zakaatable wealth he has at the moment. The only way a zakaat year is "reset" (i.e. start from day 0), is when a person goes completely bankrupt (robbery, house burned down etc...).

 

Allah give us all understanding. Ameen.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Arslan

[ummtaalib]

Aameen. Jazaakallaahu khayran for the added important point. 

 

Basically from the day a person reaches the nisab, he/she should record the date.

 

At the end of the year it will be seen if one still has the nisab amount even if it had gone below the nisab during the year.

 

Therefore it is the beginning and the end of the year which count - unless one's wealth dips to zero during the year. In which case one will "reset" and start again when the wealth reaches the nisab amount

 

[Arslan]

Exactly. You've understood perfectly, masha'Allah.