References & Sources
Evidence used to explain the general principle. These references do not replace personal scholar review.
3 Sources & 1 Scholarly Opinions
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The distinction is between a debt you expect to recover and one you do not. Money lent to someone reliable who acknowledges the debt and is able to repay is still your wealth - it is simply held by someone else - and most scholars require zakat on it each year, whether or not you have received anything. Money lent to someone who denies the debt, has disappeared, or genuinely cannot pay is treated differently: zakat is deferred until you actually recover it, at which point the majority position requires one year's zakat rather than payment for every year it was outstanding. Two things people get wrong. Wages owed to you by an employer, a security deposit with a landlord, and a tax refund due are all debts owed to you and follow the same rules. And zakat on a strong debt is payable from your other wealth if the debt itself has not yet been repaid - you do not wait for the cash to arrive.
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Educational guidance only, not a fatwa. Consult a qualified scholar for your specific case. Page created August 26, 2026.
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On a strong debt, yes - and from your other wealth. If you lent 500,000 to someone reliable, that amount is part of your zakatable wealth this year and the zakat is payable now, not when the money comes back. The reasoning is that the wealth is yours; its location does not suspend the obligation. Some scholars permit deferral where paying now would be genuinely difficult.
Yes, if you expect it back - it is a debt owed to you by the landlord and follows the same rules as any other. This is one of the most commonly omitted items and it can be substantial. The same applies to salary your employer owes, tax refunds due, utility deposits and unpaid client invoices.
Ask a practical question: if you needed the money and asked for it, would you get it? If yes, it is a strong debt and zakat is due annually. If you have already written it off internally and would be surprised to see it, it is doubtful and zakat waits until recovery. A debt is not doubtful merely because collecting it would be awkward - that distinction is where self-interest tends to intrude.
Evidence used to explain the general principle. These references do not replace personal scholar review.
3 Sources & 1 Scholarly Opinions
Compare the general position and the details scholars usually check.
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