Fatwa No : 28923
When should one pay Zakat if he forgets his Zakat date?

When should one pay Zakat if he forgets his Zakat date?

Assalam o alaikum,
i have some question about zakat.

1. If someone does not know the date on which he became sahib - e - nisab, then when he/she should pay zakat?
2. if i am sahib - e - nisab and i have some money on which one year was not passed then i should pay zakat on that money or not?

3. i work in an organization, the organization deducts some amount from our salary, the deduction is in two parts
a. one part is for Provident fund.

b. the other one is saved for house and a house is given to employee after retirement.
for e.g if 10000 is deducted per month then 5000 is for Provident fund and 5000 is saved for house. shall i pay zakat on this amount i.e provident fund and house fund? the organization gives interest on provident fund, is that interest halal or haram?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

(1) In such a case, the questioner should try to remember the most probable date in which he may have become Sahib-e-Nisab. When that date is specified, then it will become his Zakat date, and he will give Zakat on that day according to the lunar calendar.
(2) If for the period of a year, one possessed the amount of wealth that exceeds the threshold of the Nisab, then Zakat of his entire wealth would be Wajib upon him. With that being said, the questioner must also pay Zakat on the wealth upon which a year has not passed after he became Sahib-e-Nisab.
(3) There are two types of provident fund: voluntary and involuntary. In the case of involuntary provident fund, the amount that has been deducted to the employee’s salary, as well as the amount added to that by the company on a monthly and yearly basis are all considered as part of the employee’s salary. This amount is not interest, therefore, it is permissible to be received by the employee. As for voluntary provident fund, it is permissible for the employee to receive the first two amounts (i.e. the amounted deducted from his salary and the amount added to that on a monthly basis). However, it is not permissible for the employee to receive the amount that is added on a yearly basis, since it resembles interest. For this reason, the employee should refrain from this type of provident fund.
Nonetheless, it is not necessary to give Zakat for the years that has passed on this fund. The employ will give Zakat on it only after receiving it.