Is a woman's jewellery subject to zakat?

Question

Now that Ramadan is approaching I was wondering whether I should pay zakat on my wife's jewellery. IslamCity zakat calculator has the following line

Please note that Women jewelry is not subject to zakat unless its amount is excessive or the jewelry is not being used.

Is a woman's jewellery subject to zakat?

Please cite your answer from Hadith, Quran or some scholarly work.

Answer 1

This is a (famous) issue over which the scholars differed. The majority of the scholars hold that a women does need to pay zakah on her gold and silver jewelry, while the Shafi'ee madhab holds that you don't need to.

As for those who say that zakah is not due on gold jewelry, their proofs include:

• That gold jewelry is a liability -- it's not easy to sell, unlike gold bars.
• They quote a (weak) hadith to the effect of "there is no zakah on jewelry."

As for the majority, they cite this hassan hadith (among other proofs):

Amr bin Shu'aib narrated from his father, from his grandfather, that two women came to the Messenger of Allah, and they each had a bracelet of gold on their forearms. So he said to them: "Have you paid their Zakat?" They said, "No." The Messenger of Allah said to them: "Would you like for Allah to fashion then into two bracelets of Fire?" They said, "No." He said: "Then pay its Zakat." (Hasan)

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، أَنَّ امْرَأَتَيْنِ، أَتَتَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَفِي أَيْدِيهِمَا سُوَارَانِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا ‏"‏ أَتُؤَدِّيَانِ زَكَاتَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتَا لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُمَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَتُحِبَّانِ أَنْ يُسَوِّرَكُمَا اللَّهُ بِسُوَارَيْنِ مِنْ نَارٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَتَا لاَ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَأَدِّيَا زَكَاتَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ قَدْ رَوَاهُ الْمُثَنَّى بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ نَحْوَ هَذَا ‏.‏ وَالْمُثَنَّى بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ وَابْنُ لَهِيعَةَ يُضَعَّفَانِ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَلاَ يَصِحُّ فِي هَذَا الْبَابِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْءٌ Collected in Al-Tirmidhi

This hadith clearly outlines that gold must be paid on jewelry, like zakah.

And of course, this is contingent on the nisaab and hawl, which I assume you know about -- you need to have enough gold to cover the nisab amount (3oz, I believe), and you need to hold it for one (Islamic) year before zakah becomes due.

---

Reading between the lines of your question, I would like to mention some other points:

• Regarding the weight of stones, and non-gold items: These items are not technically zakatable. However, trying to calculate and subtract this from the overall weight of the piece. Plus, they will add a very minuscule amount to the total weight. So just include them.
• Regarding white gold, platinum, et all: Based on other ahadith, we know that gold and silver are zakatable because they are currency-valued. White gold, too, counts as gold; but platinum and other materials don't.
• Who pays the zakah: If it's your wife's gold, it's her responsibility on the Day of Judgment to be the one who pays it. You can help calculate, distribute, etc. although ultimate responsibility falls on her.

And Allah knows best.

Source: Fiqh of Zakah class (Shafi'ee madhab primarily), circa 2006

Answer 2

Zakat is payable on gold and silver jewelry, even if it is not for business purposes, provided it reaches the quantity of nisab and has been possessed for one lunar year or more.

Yes, the zakat on your wife's jewelry is payable by her. If she does not have enough money to pay the zakat, then either she could sell some of the jewelry, or you could give her enough money to enable her to pay the zakat.

Hadith@

It is reported that a woman came to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) with a daughter of hers. On the daughter's arm were two thick bracelets of gold. He asked her, "Do you give the zakat of this?" She said, "No." He said, "Would it please you for Allah to put them around you as bracelets of fire on the Day of Resurrection?" Thereupon, she removed them and threw them before the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace), saying, "They are for [the cause of] Allah and His messenger."

[Narrated by Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ahmad and others. Hafiz Ibn Hajar said, in Bulugh al-Maram, "Its isnad is strong."]

A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace), says, "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his Household and grant them peace) entered upon me and saw bands ( i.e. rings without any stones) of silver on [the fingers of] my hand. He said, "What is this, O A'ishah?!" I replied, "I put them on to make myself beautiful for you, O Messenger of Allah!" He said, "Do you pay their zakat?" I said, "No." He said, "They are sufficient for you [as a share] of the Fire [of Hell]."

[Narrated by Abu Dawud]

Answer 3

It is understood that whenever anyone has any amount of zakatable gold or silver should pay zakat with full confidence on Allah that he will not made the zakat payer poor. Allah is the best giver.

Allah Hafez

Answer 4

Assalamualaikum. It is not obligatory to pay zakat on the jewellery which are used by any women.

Please check the image which have all the references of not paying zakat on the jewellery used by women