Zakaat

Q: The following has occurred and I am not sure if it counts as my zakaat being fulfilled.

We have a neighbor who is a worthy recipient of zakaat. My parents were in the process of helping them amend some part of their home when my zakaat became due. I had informed them of it and so my mother gave the man who is doing the fixing, the money to buy the tools and materials with the intention of zakaat for our neighbor. It was not given to the man doing the fixing in lieu of his labour but rather for the material needed to fix our zakaatable neighbors house.

Is my zakaat considered as valid ?

Q: If Zaid had a gold ring but didn’t have it in his possession and was told by a jeweller that it would be no more than 1g and so he paid Zakah using 1g but then when he got it, it turned out to be 1.7g so he paid 0.7g for the required years, was that correct to do?

Q: Can zakaah money be used to buy stationary, toys etc. and be given to people who can receive zakaah, for their children?

Q: In our time, there are wealthy Muslims to take out loans from the bank for tens of millions of rands for the purpose of business, e.g. constructing an apartment block. Or taking out a mortgage for buying a home. Please advise:

(1) If the amount loaned exceeds their Zakaat asset value, does that mean these Muslims do not have to pay Zakaat, and that they are also eligible to receive Zakaat?

(2) Likewise, is it better for them to use money to pay off debts or Nafl Sadaqah/Lillah projects?

Q: I read somewhere that you can deduct one years worth of "bond" or car repayments from the Zakaat calculation. I have a car and house bond with an Islamic bank. Can you deduct the next 12 months repayments from the Zakaat calculation?

Q: Please advise regarding security deposits paid to the municipality or landlord. Do I include it in calculating my assets for nisaab amount? How would this affect the receiving or payment of Zakaat?

Q: I have a plot for investment purposes worth 70 lac rupees. How much zakat do I have to pay on it?

Q: Instead of paying zakaat with cash, can a person give goods to that amount that the recipient needs?

Would it be permissible to give someone a device that they need?

Q: My sister has separated from her husband. She and her three kids are living with my brother and his family (i.e. wife and two little daughters) in one bedroom appartment in London. Her husband has not yet given her divorce but also does not pay for anything for the kids either. She herself is not working at the moment. Can I pay my zakaat to her or it will only be considered as sadaqah?

Q: My father passed away in 2021 and, we, the heirs (mother, and 3 brothers, all adults) inherited property and cash as per shariah.

1.The cash was given by us to our mother. We made her the owner of that cash.

2. The property inherited (2 x 5 marla plots) are combined property of our mother and 3 brothers, the net worth of shares is above the nisaab.

Our mother pays yearly zakat as well as Qurbaani.

The question, Is it compulsory for us 3 brothers to pay zakat and qurbaani, provided that our indiviual monthly incomes/savings are less than the amount of nisaab (cannot even buy or share an animal for sacrifice and neither of us can move/sell, the shares of property, or use for any business means). Will zakat and Qurbani be applicable on this sort of shared property?