Times Zakat Is Due

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Zakat. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can choose one of the months of the year and decide to pay Zakat in that month. In that month you must find out what are your assets and pay Zakat thereof. After one year you must do the same thing again and you are not required to do anything more than this.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), Is there a definite time to pay Zakat? He (the Imam) said, ‘That depends on one’s earnings. However, the time for al-Fitrah is definite.”’

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that there is a certain month in which I pay Zakat. Can I keep a certain amount separate for an emergency, in case, someone comes asking? He (the Imam) said, ‘Once the year is complete, you must pay Zakat of your asset and you must not mix it with anything, and then give whatever you want.’ I then asked, ’Can I write it down and keep a record to make it straight? He (the Imam) said, ‘That is not harmful.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man whose accounting time comes three times in a year. Can he delay to make them all at one time? He (the Imam) said, ‘Whenever it comes he must pay Zakat.’ I then asked, ‘When it is the time to pay Zakat of wheat, barley, dates and raisins? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is when he cuts and estimates.’”

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that if I collect what I have lent to someone when must I pay Zakat? He (the Imam) said, ‘Pay when you collect it.’ I then said, ‘I collect a certain amount in a certain time of the year and another amount in another time of the year. He (the Imam) smiled and then said, ‘How good is the deal in which you are involved!’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘What you collect in the first six months, pay its Zakat after a year and what you collect in the other six months, pay its Zakat in the coming year. So also is the case with your earning, which you gain in separate times during a whole year. What you earn in the first six months pay its Zakat in that year and what you earn thereafter pay its Zakat in the coming year.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man whose asset is half in substance and half as loan. The time of paying Zakat comes. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to pay Zakat of the substance and leave the loan.’ I then said that he receives payment after six months. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to pay its Zakat when he receives payment.’ I then said, ‘The year is complete and the month of paying Zakat comes but one half of his asset has remained with him for one year and the other half for six months.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He must pay Zakat for what has been with him for one year and leave the other half until one year is passed.’ I then asked, ‘Can he pay its Zakat if he wants?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘That is very good.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who pays his Zakat. He distributes a certain amount of it and keeps a certain amount to find proper recipient and this takes three months altogether. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who pays Zakat when half of the year passes. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he must allow one year to pass. Just as it is not permissible to perform Salah (prayer) before its time, so also is Zakat. No one can fast for the month of Ramadan in a month other than the month of Ramadan. Every obligation is fulfilled when it is time for such obligation.’”

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘Can one pay Zakat after one-third of the year passes?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, can one perform al-Dhuhr before Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime)?”’ “It is also narrated that it is permissible if deserving recipient is present and to pay to him before the time for Zakat, except that he is responsible for it if at the time of Zakat, the recipient becomes affluent or an apostate, in which case he must pay Zakat again.”