I have jewelry, all given to me as gifts from my parents.
Question:
Assalaamu Alaikum
dear mufti
I hope this mail reaches you in good health in sha Allah. I was wondering, I have jewelry, all given to me as gifts from my parents. I am not working, I am a student and I get an allowance for school. I was wondering, am I liable to pay zakat since I have this jewelry? If so what are the procedures for this? Thank you so much for your time. May Allah grant you jannah. Amen.
Answer:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam,
If your jewelry has reached the nisaab, then you will have to pay Zakaah on it, even though they were gifts from your parents. The important thing is that at present, you are the owner of this jewelry, and once it has reached the nisaab, it is considered as wealth upon which Zakaah is levied.
If, because of your situation (as being a student) you do not have monies to pay the Zakaah, then you will have to pay Zakaah for the years that have past when you did not pay Zakaah upon the jewelry.
Note well, that you will first find out whether the jewelry has reached the nisaab or not. If it has not reached the nisaab, then Zakaah will not be compulsory upon it.
And Allah knows best,
Mufti Waseem Khan
12/3/2013