Can You Pay Zakat in Advance or in Instalments?
Paying a large amount of zakat all at once at the end of the year can be difficult, and many people want to support those in need steadily throughout the year. So an important question is: can zakat be paid in advance, before the year is complete, or in monthly instalments?
Advance Zakat Is Allowed
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that al Abbas asked the Prophet Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ for permission to pay his zakat before the year was complete, and he permitted him (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 1624; Jami at Tirmidhi, Hadith 678).
On this basis, the Hanafi, Shafi’i and Hanbali schools allow paying zakat before the year is complete, once you own the nisab. Imam Malik held that zakat paid before the year ends is not valid, unless only a little time remains.
The condition is that you already own the nisab. Someone who does not yet own it cannot pay future zakat in advance what they give counts as voluntary charity.
Paying in Instalments: Allowed and Easy
Because advance zakat is allowed you can pay zakat in instalments across the year:
Estimate roughly how much zakat you will owe this year.
Divide it into twelve parts and pay each month with the intention of zakat.
On your annual zakat date, calculate the actual amount:
If you owe more, pay the difference.
If you paid more, count the extra as advance zakat for next year, or as voluntary charity.
Discussing zakat on salary, Shaykh Yusuf al Qaradawi writes that it may be paid on each salary as received or calculated yearly, and money already paid at receipt is not charged again in the annual calculation (Fiqh al Zakat, Urdu translation, pp. 656 to 657).
He also notes that governments deducting zakat monthly from salaries is a known practice (Fiqh al Zakat, p. 653).
Delaying Zakat Is Not Allowed
Paying early is easy and good delaying is disliked. Once your zakat year is complete, zakat must be paid promptly. Putting it off for months without a valid reason is not allowed, because it withholds the right of the poor. If you want to pay in instalments, the right way is to pay in advance not to delay after it is due.
Must Zakat Be Paid in Ramadan?
Zakat has no required link to Ramadan; it becomes due on the day your zakat year completes. However, rewards are multiplied in Ramadan so many people set their zakat date in Ramadan.
If your zakat date falls before Ramadan: do not delay it until Ramadan.
If you want to pay in Ramadan: pay it in advance during Ramadan, not late.
A Final Word
Islam makes paying zakat easy once you own the nisab you may pay it in advance and in instalments so it is not a burden and the poor are supported all year. Just remember: once zakat is due, do not delay it because it is the right of the poor held in trust with you.
