Should a woman pay zakat on her property?
Question
I am an unmarried working female and have a separate source of income from my father.
o Do I have to pay zakat or does the zakat my father pays in his capacity as my guardian suffice? Please take into account that I give voluntary charity from my own money. If zakat is due on my income, kindly inform me when it is to be paid, how it is calculated, and what are the preferable channels of its distribution?
o Do I have to pay zakat on my jewelry which I only use for ornamentation?
Answer
The inquirer is financially independent of her father. Since she has her own separate income, zakat is obligatory in the presence of the following conditions:
• The money reaches nisab [minimum amount upon which zakat is due] which is the equivalent of 85 grams of 21 carat gold.
• A lunar year passes upon its possession.
• The inquirer is debt free.
If the above conditions are met, the inquirer is to pay zakat on her property with the intention of zakat and not sadaqah.
According to the opinion of some scholars, there is no zakat on jewelry if it is for personal use.