Types of Zakat — A Complete Overview
Zakat is not a single payment — it covers several distinct obligations, each with its own rate, threshold, and timing. Most UK Muslims owe two: Zakat al-Mal (annual wealth Zakat) and Zakat al-Fitr (before Eid prayer each year).
Zakat al-Mal
زكاة المال
Wealth Zakat — the main annual obligation
- Rate
- 2.5% of net zakatable wealth
- When
- Once per lunar year on your Hawl date
- Who owes it
- Every adult Muslim whose net wealth exceeds the Nisab for one full year
- Threshold
- Silver Nisab approx. £496 (2026)
Zakat al-Fitr
زكاة الفطر
Fitrana — charity of breaking the fast
- Rate
- Fixed amount per person (~£7 in 2026)
- When
- Before Eid al-Fitr prayer each year (end of Ramadan)
- Who owes it
- Every Muslim who has food for themselves and family for the day
- Threshold
- No Nisab — applies regardless of wealth level
Zakat al-Tijarah
زكاة التجارة
Trade & business inventory Zakat
- Rate
- 2.5% of trade stock, business cash, and receivables
- When
- Once per lunar year (usually aligned with the business's Hawl date)
- Who owes it
- Business owners, traders, sole traders, and partners
- Threshold
- Same Nisab as Zakat al-Mal
Ushr
عشر
Zakat on agricultural produce
- Rate
- 10% (rain-fed crops) or 5% (irrigated crops)
- When
- At harvest — no Hawl or Nisab requirement
- Who owes it
- Farmers producing crops for sale above a minimum harvest
- Threshold
- 5 wasqs of produce — rarely applicable in the UK
Zakat al-Mal — the principal obligation
Zakat al-Mal (wealth Zakat) is what most people mean when they say "Zakat." It is the annual 2.5% payment on net zakatable wealth — cash, gold, silver, stocks, business assets, crypto, and accessible pensions — held above the Nisab for one complete lunar year (the Hawl).
This is the Zakat calculated by our Zakat Calculator and the one that funds our eye surgery and cancer treatment programmes.
Zakat al-Fitr — before Eid prayer
Zakat al-Fitr (also called Fitrana or Sadaqat al-Fitr) is a separate, fixed-amount charity due from every Muslim at the end of Ramadan. It must be paid before the Eid al-Fitr prayer — not on Eid day itself, but ideally in the days before. In 2026, the amount is approximately £7 per person in the household, including children.
Zakat al-Fitr is obligatory even for Muslims who do not meet the Nisab for Zakat al-Mal — as long as they have food for themselves and their family for the day of Eid.
→ Full guide: Zakat al-Fitr 2026
Zakat al-Tijarah — trade and business Zakat
Business owners have an additional Zakat obligation on their trade inventory. Zakat al-Tijarah is calculated at 2.5% on the zakatable business assets held at the Hawl date — trade stock (goods held for sale), business cash, and receivables. Fixed assets like machinery, vehicles, and premises are not zakatable.
Most business owners calculate their personal Zakat al-Mal (on personal wealth) and their Zakat al-Tijarah (on business assets) separately.
→ Full guide: Zakat on Business Assets
Ushr — Zakat on agricultural produce
Ushr is Zakat on crops and agricultural output — 10% for rain-fed land and 5% for irrigated land. It has no Hawl requirement; it is due at each harvest once production reaches the minimum threshold (five wasqs — approximately 653 kg of produce). This is rarely applicable for UK Muslims but is relevant for farmers in Muslim-majority countries.
What about Zakat al-Rikaz (treasure and minerals)?
Zakat al-Rikaz applies to buried treasure or mineral deposits found in the earth — the rate is 20% (one-fifth). This is a historical category that is very unlikely to apply in a modern UK context.