What Are the Rulings for Zakat on Agricultural Produce in the Hanafi School?

Answered by Sidi Faraz A. Khan

Question: My question pertains to Zakat. According to the Abu Hanifa, we are supposed to give Zakat on vegetation of value.  Does this include small gardens which are very common in the West? Such as a small apple or orange tree?  How do we calculate the value of the vegetation?  Many times the fruits of a tree may fall and rot underneath the tree. Must we pay Zakat for that as well? Or is it only the fruit/vegetable which is harvested?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health and faith.

In the Hanafi school, one would have to pay zakat for vegetation, produce or crops only if they are grown for agricultural purposes (like to sell) as opposed to recreational purposes such as a person’s home garden for his/her own enjoyment. Zakat would not be due on the latter.

Some Pertinent Legal Rulings

If one does grow fruit or crops for agricultural purposes, then the following rules would apply:

If it is irrigated naturally by rain water or the like, one-tenth of the produce is due.

If it is irrigated by human or mechanical watering, then one-twentieth of the produce is due.

If it is irrigated both naturally as well as by human watering, one considers that which predominates of the two.

According to the Hanafi school, one can calculate the market value of that amount and pay its equivalent in cash instead. This is often more beneficial for the poor.

One does not wait for a full lunar year to pass, but rather zakat on the produce is due when the fruits become ripe according to Abu Hanifa, irrespective of the amount of produce. Hence, if after becoming ripe a fruit falls and rots under a tree, zakat would still be due on it; if it fell and became rotten before ripening, zakat would not be due on it.

[Qari/Sadr al-Sharia, Fath Bab al-Inaya/Nuqaya; Mawsili, Ikhtiyar li Ta’lil al-Mukhtar]

And Allah alone gives success.

wassalam
Faraz A. Khan

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani