How much money do I need before I have to pay zakat?
You need at least the nisab: the value of about 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver. If your zakatable wealth stays at or above that for a lunar year, you pay 2.5%. Because silver is much cheaper than gold, the silver nisab is a far lower amount, and scholars differ on which one to use for cash.
What nisab means
Nisab is the minimum amount of wealth that makes zakat due. Below it, you pay nothing. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said there is no zakat on less than five awaq of silver (Sahih al-Bukhari 1447), and that zakat is due on 200 dirhams of silver or 20 dinars of gold once a year has passed (Sunan Abi Dawud 1573). Converted to today's weights, that's about 595 g of silver and 85 g of gold.
Gold or silver standard?
- Silver nisab: many scholars, including the Hanafi school, prefer it for cash because it's lower, so more people pay and more reaches the poor. It's also the more cautious choice.
- Gold nisab: many contemporary scholars and organizations use it, arguing gold better reflects real wealth today, since the silver amount can be quite small.
Both views are respected. If you're unsure, ask your local mosque which standard it uses, or follow the silver nisab to be on the safe side.
How to check
Gold and silver prices change daily, so the nisab amount changes too. On your zakat date, look up the current price per gram (many Muslim charities publish an updated nisab figure), multiply by 85 or 595, and compare it with your total zakatable wealth: cash, savings, investments, gold, silver and business assets, minus debts due now. See How do I calculate my zakat?
If you're close to the line
If your savings hover around the nisab, check on your zakat date. Many scholars say what matters is being above the nisab at the start and end of the year. If you're unsure, paying anyway is never a loss: anything extra counts as sadaqah.
- Nisab is 85 g of gold or 595 g of silver in value.
- The silver nisab is much lower and more cautious.
- Check the current value on your zakat date.
- Below the nisab, no zakat is due.
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