Including boxes and plastic wrappings in one's zakaat calculation

Q: If a person is selling tiles, will he have to include the tile boxes and tile plastic wrappings in his zakaat calculation and pay zakaat on all, as one does not charge the customer for the boxes and the tile plastic wrapping separately?

A: Since these items are joined to the actual sale items (the tiles), they are regarded as part of the sale commodity. Hence, if one includes their costs in the price of the sale commodity, then one will have to pay zakaat on them. This is similar to an optometrist selling spectacle frames. He does not charge separately for the spectacle cases, however it is included in the price of the spectacles. Hence, it is also regarded as a sale commodity and zakaat will be compulsory upon it.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)