Clear, grounded explanations of the policies and scholarly positions behind Zakat distribution in Canada.
Zakat is purification, not charity. A portion of your wealth was never yours to begin with, and that idea goes back to the earliest days of Islam.
Not everything you own is subject to zakat. Three types of growing wealth are: your money, your gold and silver, and your trade goods.
Every Muslim above the minimum threshold, individually. And the Quran names exactly eight categories of people who can receive it.
Once a year, on your personal zakat anniversary. One snapshot of your wealth. One number. One payment.
Before the calculation comes a prior question: do you even owe Zakat? Here are the conditions the classical scholars laid out, the disputes between the schools, and the practical questions Muslim families face today.
The nisab threshold determines who owes Zakat — but the gold and silver standards produce wildly different numbers. Here's why it matters.
Your Zakat anniversary isn't necessarily Ramadan. Learn what the hawl is, how different schools handle it, and whether to use a Hijri or Gregorian calendar.
Zakat applies to three types of growing wealth: money, gold and silver, and trade goods. Here's what counts, what doesn't, and how modern instruments fit in.
A practical breakdown of who can receive Zakat — what each of the eight Quranic categories means for Canadian organizations today.
Stocks, ETFs, mutual funds — when do you pay Zakat on the full market value, and when only on the zakatable portion? Here's what scholars say.
TFSAs, RRSPs, RRIFs, RESPs, FHSAs — each Canadian account type has unique tax characteristics that affect how Zakat is calculated. Here's what scholars say.
Gold and silver bars, coins, and bullion are always zakatable. But what about jewelry? The answer depends on your school of thought, and it comes down to a deeper question about intent.
Do collectible coins count as currency, trade goods, or personal property? The answer depends on what the coin is made of and why you hold it. Here's what the classical schools and modern scholars say.
If you own a business, certain assets are subject to Zakat, but not all of them. Here's how to determine what counts and how to value it.
If someone owes you money — whether it's a personal loan, a business receivable, or an outstanding mahr — how Zakat applies depends on the type of debt and which school of thought you follow.
Debts reduce your zakatable wealth, but scholars differ significantly on how to handle mortgages and long-term loans. Here's what you need to know.
Some organizations distribute Zakat locally, some globally, some split it. Here's the debate, the classical precedent, and how to decide.
The line between having a Zakat policy and not having one. What a policy document must contain and why it matters.
How organizations keep Zakat money separate from general donations — and why the answer should matter to you as a donor.
How organizations fund their operations — what it means when admin costs come from Zakat, and how to evaluate transparency.
How organizations structure religious oversight of their Zakat operations, from scholar boards to single advisors to nothing at all.
A financial audit checks your books. A Zakat audit checks whether your Zakat was actually distributed according to Islamic law. They're not the same thing.
Islamic jurisprudence generally requires Zakat to be transferred into personal ownership. But what happens when organizations fund wells, schools, or clinics?
Category 7 is the most debated Zakat category. An organization's interpretation tells you more about its scholarly approach than almost anything else.
A joint ruling by two major North American fiqh bodies says yes — under strict conditions. A dissenting opinion, a practical viability critique, and a methodological analysis say it's not that simple.