سونا، چاندی اور نقدی کو بطور نصابِ زکوۃ جمع کرنے سے متعلق فقہاء کی آراء کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ An Analytical Study of the Juristic Opinions on Combining Gold, Silver, and Cash for Determining the Niṣāb of Zakāt

Abstract

Zakat is a fundamental pillar of the Islamic economic system and serves as a financial act of worship aimed at promoting social justice, equitable wealth distribution, and economic stability. It ensures the circulation of wealth and contributes to reducing economic disparities within society. Classical Islamic jurisprudence prescribes separate niṣāb (minimum threshold) requirements for different categories of Zakatable assets, including gold, silver, agricultural produce, livestock, and trade goods. However, the emergence of modern financial assets, such as cash, bank deposits, and investment holdings, has raised an important juristic question regarding whether different categories of monetary assets may be combined to determine the niṣāb for Zakat or whether each category must independently attain its prescribed threshold. This study examines the issue through a comparative and analytical analysis of the opinions of the four Sunni schools of Islamic jurisprudence (Ḥanafī, Mālikī, Shāfiʿī, and Ḥanbalī), together with the views of contemporary jurists. It critically evaluates the textual evidence, juristic reasoning, and legal principles underlying the differing opinions while considering their applicability to contemporary financial realities. The study concludes that gold, silver, and cash share the effective legal cause (ʿillah) of thamāniyyah (monetary value) and may therefore be combined for determining the niṣāb. This approach is more consistent with the objectives of Sharīʿah (Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah), facilitates the proper discharge of Zakat obligations, and provides a practical and juristically sound framework for the application of Zakat in the modern financial system.