Changing the nisaab from silver to gold
Q: Lately I was informed that on account of the price of the Qurbaani animals increasing in certain places, some scholars have suggested that the Nisaab should change from silver to gold to make it easy for the people so that they will not have to do the Qurbaani. Will it be permissible for one to accept this opinion and pay Zakaat and do Qurbaani only if one possesses wealth that equals the gold Nisaab? The silver Nisaab is 612,36g of silver, which, at present, is approximately R4 764 and the gold Nisaab is 87,48g of gold which, at present, is approximately R50 000. According to this, a lot of people who possess wealth less than R50 000, but more than R4 764 will not have to do Qurbaani and nor will they have to discharge Zakaat.