Zakaat

Q: Is it necessary to mention it to the person that we are giving him zakaat? Or we can just make niyyah from our side only?

Q: I'm currently calculating my Zakaat, and would like clarity on the following 3 points:

Q: Do I have to pay zakaat on money in my pension and provident fund?

Q: A young Mufti (scholar) said to calculate zakaat based on gold. Now he changed his ruling and says to give it based on silver. So, based on gold, the zakat was 3000$. Today when he told the people to do it based on silver, todays silver price was 500$. So what must the people do on paid zakaat, count what is paid on gold as okay and from here on pay of silver?

Q: I have a share in a certain Hospital. One year has already elapsed and the construction is still carrying on. I have absolutely no idea when it will start operating. Do I have to discharge the Zakaat of this share? 

Q: Recently I went for Haj Alhamdulillah. I had taken my zakaat money with me to distribute to the poor in Makkah and Medinah. I had given the zakaat to the cleaners of the Haram in Makkah & Medinah. Someone told me that the cleaners collect a lot of money from others whilst others informed me that they are poor. I am not sure which category do they fall under. Please let me know if my zakaat will be fulfilled or do I need to re-take out zakaat?

Q: Will the zakaat be fulfilled if it is given under the pretext of a gift or a loan?

Q: Is zakaat fardh upon eighteen and twenty four carat gold?

Q: Is zakaat fardh on the payout received from a provident-fund, pension-fund or retirement-fund?

Q: Is zakaat fardh upon life insurance which matures after the death of the policy holder?