Zakaat

Q: A maid (widow) is in dire need to buy a small room. She sells her only possession (gold worth one lakh rupees) for this purpose and hands over this amount to the middleman. The middleman is responsible for giving this one lakh to the actual owner of the room who is in another city. The owner will arrive after a month to receive payment. Is this lady eligible for zakaat after handing over the money to the middleman or will she be eligible when the money will be transferred to the actual owner after one month?

Q: As an employee, I am facilitated to take 3 types of loan from my employer.

Loan type 01:

This loan is termed as 'Salary Advance'. In case of emergency, the employee can take a loan from the employer to a maximum of 6 times his basic salary. The lent amount will be deducted from the monthly salary in 12 installments. If the employee leaves the job before the settlement of the loan, then the left amount will be deducted from the gratuity scheme, provident fund, etc.

Loan type 02:

This loan is termed as 'Investment loan'. The employee will receive an amount every year on 1st of June from the employer/company to invest in some particular investment schemes to get tax rebate on yearly income received from the company. The lent amount will be deducted from the monthly salary in 12 installments. If the employee leaves the job before the settlement of the loan, then the left amount will be deducted from the gratuity scheme, provident fund, etc.

Loan type 03:

The employee can take a loan from the compulsory provident fund. The lent amount will have to be adjusted as per agreement with the company. If the employee leaves the job before the settlement of the loan, then the left amount will be deducted from the gratuity scheme, provident fund, etc.

My question is, with a view to calculating zakaat of these loans, how will the lent amounts be considered? Whether assets, liability or amaanat?

Q: It is permissible for an organization that collects and distributes Zakaat funds to purchase land with Zakaat funds and thereafter subdivide the land and give the land to worthy Zakaat recipients. 

Q: I sold my business including the stock before year and invested that money in another business right after selling. Do I have to calculate my zakat year since I have started my first business or from the date when I started my 2nd business? I am in doubt because money which I have invested is from my first business.

Q: Sometimes beggars come and ask us for money when we are outside the office with colleagues. Sometimes, I don't have small currency to give them and neither can I say anything to them. Last time I went to the city and we were outside the office and one beggar was asking for money. He came to me but I didn't have small currency at that time to give to him, but he stood infront of me. After a few minutes a colleague who was with me gave him some money. I sometimes think what they might think of me. Genuniely if I had small currency I would have given it to him. Can we deny if we don't have small currency notes.

Q: If I have given loan to someone, do I need to include this in my asset calculation for upcoming year zakaat?

Q: I have purchased goods for 100 000 for my shop. The year is not completed and I sold my shop for 200 000. Do I have to pay zakaat on this 200 000 on the completion the year since I have started my shop or next year?

Q: If a person sends zakaat money overseas to his poor relatives, and uses a money transferral service e.g. mukuru/hellopaisa, then they charge a commission.

For example, if I send R1000, then they will charge R50. In this case, will R1000 zakaat be discharged or will the R50 commission be subtracted and only R950 zakaat will be discharged?

Q:

1. Can zakaat be given to a person who has debts?

2. There are people who live a better standard of living than me. They have better cars, better clothes, go on holidays, better household items, etc. than me but they have debts due to which they are below the nisab threshold. Can I give my zakaat to them?

Q: Can one pay income tax to SARS with the intention of giving sadaqah?