FatwaFederal TerritoriesZakat
Adakah nafkah perlu dizakatkan?
Does a wife need to pay zakat on the allowance her husband gives as maintenance, and what expenses fall under a wife's maintenance?
Short answer
The fatwa advises the wife to consult the state zakat centre for a detailed calculation, since income is reduced by the minimum living needs (had kifayah) to determine what is liable for zakat.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Zakat
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The fatwa advises the wife to consult the state zakat centre for a detailed calculation, since income is reduced by the minimum living needs (had kifayah) to determine what is liable for zakat. If an allowance of RM3,500 is not enough to cover the family's daily living costs, no zakat is imposed. A wife's maintenance covers her food, housing and clothing, and some scholars also include healthcare, beauty needs and pocket money where local custom accepts them.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Jika elaun yang diberi RM3,500.00 yang diberikan itu tidak mencukupi menanggung kehidupan harian keluarga, maka tidak dikenakan zakat.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “Adakah nafkah perlu dizakatkan?”, 28 March 2016. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/1752-adakah-nafkah-perlu-dizakatkan. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/is-zakat-due-on-wife-maintenance-allowance/