Is an Apostate Required to Pay Zakat for the Time They Left Islam?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

If someone pays zakat but later commits disbelief and returns to Islam, does the previous zakat remain valid? If they still meet the requirements, should they wait until the next zakat due date?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to what pleases Him. Amin.

Non-Muslims and Apostates

Non-Muslims and apostates are not obligated to pay zakat. However, if an apostate returns to Islam, they are required to pay zakat for the period they spent outside of Islam, provided they meet the zakat conditions during that time. [Shirbini, Mughni al-Muhtaj]

Validity of Prior Zakat Payments

Zakat paid before apostasy remains valid and does not need to be repeated. Upon returning to Islam, one must assess whether zakat was due during the apostasy and pay accordingly. [ibid.]

Waiting Until the Next Zakat Date

They do not wait for the next zakat due date; instead, they must immediately settle any unpaid zakat from the time of apostasy if the conditions for zakat obligation were met. [ibid.]

Guidance

For someone who has returned to Islam after a period of apostasy, it is crucial to approach this obligation with sincerity and gratitude for being guided back to faith.

Paying any zakat owed during apostasy serves as a means of purification and reaffirms one’s commitment to fulfilling the rights of Allah (Most High) and His creation.

Consulting a qualified scholar or local imam can help ensure proper calculation and distribution, allowing one to fulfill this obligation with confidence and peace of heart.

Please make use of our Zakat calculator here.

I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Mohammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.