Discharging Zakaat on the amount received during the course of the year

Answer

If a person in Mauritius possesses Rs30,000 in the form of money, merchandise or jewellery, he becomes a Saahib-e-Nisaab (possessor of Nisaab). So his Zakaat year has now begun.  Zakaat will become obligatory on him after one lunar year has passed and he still has the nisaab amount. For example: A person possesses Rs 30,000 on the 1st of Ramadhaan 1439. So zakaat becomes obligatory on him on the 1st of Ramadhaan 1440. During the current year, it is possible that the person receives more money from time to time and one lunar year has not yet passed on that amount. Nevertheless, according to the principle of Shariah, one will still have to discharge Zakaat for any amount that is received during that year, even though one year has not yet passed on that particular amount. For example : A person possesses Rs 30,000 on the 1st of Ramadhaan 1439. After 2 months he receives Rs10,000. Thereafter, after a month, he receives Rs15,000. Then, on the eve of the 1st of Ramadhaan 1440, he receives Rs5,000. A year has passed on the amount of Rs30,000 only and not on the remaining amount. Yet, Zakaat is to be discharged on the Rs 10,000, Rs15,000 and Rs5,000 he received also. In short, the principle is that all zakaatable assets that are received during one's zakaat year will be added up to the initial amount and Zakaat should be discharged on the entire amount.