Zakat on Gold and Silver
How to calculate zakat on gold and silver, including jewelry, coins, and bars, with the ruling of each madhab and live nisab thresholds.
Quick answer
You pay 2.5% of the current market value of your gold and silver each lunar year, once your total zakatable wealth meets the nisab. The Hanafi and Hanbali schools include personal jewelry in the calculation, while the Maliki and Shafi’i schools exempt a reasonable amount of regularly worn jewelry.
Ruling
Always zakatable at market value; jewelry treatment varies by madhab.
Zakatable portion
100% of current market value
Gold and silver are the classical measures of wealth in Islam, and they are always zakatable once your total wealth reaches the nisab threshold. This applies whether you hold them as coins, bars, or jewelry.
The one point scholars differ on is personal jewelry that a woman wears regularly. The rest of the calculation, weight times purity times live market price, then 2.5%, is agreed upon across the schools.
How to calculate it
- 1
Weigh your gold and silver
Record the weight in grams for each item, along with its purity (for example 24k, 22k, or 18k for gold). Keep gold and silver separate.
- 2
Apply the current market price
Multiply the weight by the purity factor and the live price per gram for that metal to get the market value of each item.
- 3
Decide how jewelry is treated
If you follow the Hanafi or Hanbali school, include all personal jewelry. If you follow the Maliki or Shafi’i school, you may exempt a reasonable amount of regularly worn jewelry.
- 4
Add it to your other wealth and check nisab
Add the zakatable metal value to your cash, investments, and other assets, then compare the total to the nisab (85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver at live prices).
- 5
Pay 2.5%
If your total zakatable wealth meets or exceeds the nisab and a lunar year has passed, pay 2.5% of the total.
Calculate it in minutes
Our free calculator applies these rules for your madhab and country automatically, with live gold and silver nisab prices.
Open the zakat calculatorKey points to know
Purity matters
Only the gold content is zakatable. For 22k gold, roughly 91.6% of the weight is pure gold; for 18k it is about 75%. Value the pure content at the live gold price.
Jewelry is the main difference between schools
Hanafi and Hanbali scholars hold that personal gold jewelry is zakatable. Maliki and Shafi’i scholars generally exempt a reasonable amount of jewelry that is worn, not stored as wealth.
Silver has its own nisab
The silver nisab (595 grams) is much lower in value than the gold nisab (85 grams), so using silver makes you liable sooner. Many scholars recommend the silver nisab because it benefits the poor.
Gemstones are not zakatable
Diamonds and other gemstones set into jewelry are not zakatable in themselves. Only the gold or silver content is counted, unless the items are held for trade.
Frequently asked questions
Is zakat due on gold jewelry that I wear every day?
It depends on your school of fiqh. The Hanafi and Hanbali schools hold that personal gold jewelry is zakatable regardless of use. The Maliki and Shafi’i schools exempt a reasonable amount of regularly worn jewelry. Our calculator applies the rule for the madhab you select.
How much is the nisab for gold?
The gold nisab is 85 grams of pure gold, valued at the current market price. If your total zakatable wealth is worth at least that much and a lunar year has passed, zakat is due at 2.5%.
Do I pay zakat on gold coins and bars?
Yes. Investment gold and silver such as coins and bars are always zakatable at their full market value, in every school, once your total wealth reaches the nisab.
What price do I use for my gold?
Use the current market (spot) price of the metal on the day your zakat is due, not the price you originally paid. Our calculator pulls live gold and silver prices for you.
Related guides
This guide is for general educational purposes and reflects the methodology used in our calculator. Rulings can vary by scholar and circumstance. For a binding ruling on your specific situation, consult a qualified scholar.