Sunni jurists agree on several conditions that must be met before Zakat becomes obligatory on a Muslim. Once all conditions are fulfilled, the person becomes Sahib-un-Nisab (an owner of wealth) and is duty-bound to pay.
01Islam
Only Muslims are obligated to pay Zakat. It is an act of worship that is not accepted from non-Muslims.
02Maturity and Sanity
This is a key point of difference between the schools:
Hanafi Maturity (Bulugh) and sanity (Aql) are required. Zakat is not obligatory on the wealth of minors or the insane. This is because Zakat is an act of worship requiring intention, and minors/insane persons cannot form such intention.
Maliki Shafi'i Hanbali Not required. Zakat is due on the wealth of minors and the insane, and the guardian is responsible for paying it on their behalf. The reasoning is that Zakat is a right of the poor over wealth, regardless of the owner's capacity.
03Complete Ownership (Tamam al-Milk)
The wealth must be fully owned and under the person's control. Wealth that is not in your possession or that you have no authority to dispose of does not attract Zakat. For example, money held in a trust where you have no access is not zakatable until you receive it.
04Reaching the Nisab
Your total zakatable wealth must reach or exceed the minimum threshold (Nisab). Below this threshold, no Zakat is due. See our dedicated Understanding Nisab page for full details on gold vs silver standards and school differences.
05Completion of the Hawl
Wealth must remain at or above the Nisab for one complete lunar year (354 days). This applies to cash, gold, silver, and trade goods. Agricultural produce and discovered treasure are exceptions: they are zakatable immediately at harvest or discovery. See our Hawl page for details on how different schools handle fluctuations.
06Freedom from Immediate Debts
Debts that are due within the year and necessary living expenses can be deducted from your wealth before assessing against the Nisab. If after deducting these liabilities your remaining wealth falls below the Nisab, no Zakat is due. The Shafi'i school is the exception here: it does not allow debt deductions at all.
07Summary Table
| Condition | Hanafi | Maliki Shafi'i Hanbali |
|---|---|---|
| Islam | Required | Required |
| Maturity | Required | Not required (guardian pays) |
| Sanity | Required | Not required (guardian pays) |
| Complete ownership | Required | Required |
| Nisab | Required | Required |
| Hawl (lunar year) | Required | Required |
| Freedom from debt | Debts deducted | Varies (Shafi'i: no deduction) |
08Wife's Independent Obligation
If a married woman has her own wealth reaching the Nisab (from her own earnings, dowry, gifts, or inheritance), Zakat is obligatory on her independently. However, if her husband pays Zakat on her behalf from his own wealth with her knowledge, this is accepted and valid.
Next: Understanding Nisab — The minimum wealth threshold in detail.