Zakat on Silver

Is zakat payable on silver?

Yes. Silver, like gold, is named directly in the Qur'an and Sunnah as subject to zakat. It is zakatable in every physical form: jewellery, coins, bullion bars, and household items such as cutlery, trays and utensils. The threshold was set precisely by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, who said there is no zakat on less than five awaq of silver, five awaq being 200 dirhams, which equals 612.36 grams (recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 1405 and Sahih Muslim 979).

The rate is the standard 2.5%, applied to the market value of your silver on your zakat date.

The nisab for silver: 612.36 grams or 52.5 tola

The silver nisab is 612.36 grams of pure silver, equal to 52.5 tola, 200 dirhams, or about 19.69 troy ounces. If silver is the only zakatable wealth you own, it must reach this weight before zakat is due. In practice, though, the silver nisab matters far beyond those who own silver, because it is the threshold most scholars apply to everyone's mixed wealth.

This is the key point. Because silver has fallen so far in value relative to gold over the centuries, the silver nisab is now much lower in cash terms than the gold nisab, often less than a tenth. Applying the lower threshold means more Muslims qualify to pay, and more reaches the poor. For that reason, the Hanafi school and the majority of contemporary scholars use the silver nisab whenever a person holds a mixture of cash, gold, silver and other assets. You can check today's silver nisab in your currency on our Nisab Today page.

How to calculate zakat on silver, step by step

1. Weigh your silver. Total everything: jewellery, coins, bars and household silver, in grams or tola.
2. Adjust for purity. Pure silver is the benchmark. Sterling is 92.5% pure; utensils are often 90%; coins vary. Multiply by the purity factor.
3. Value it at today's price. Multiply the pure weight by the current silver price per gram.
4. Take 2.5%. That is your zakat on silver, provided your total wealth clears the nisab.

Silver purity: sterling, utensils and coins

Zakat is due on the pure silver content, so purity matters just as it does for gold. Common grades are:

• Fine silver — 99.9% pure, the benchmark
• Sterling silver — 92.5% pure, the standard for jewellery and quality tableware
• Utensil silver — often around 90% pure
• Coin silver — varies, historically around 80 to 90%

Using the stated weight of an alloy without adjusting for purity would overstate your holding. The calculator lets you pick a fineness so your figure reflects the actual silver content.

Household silver is fully zakatable

This is an important difference from gold. While three of the four schools exempt gold jewellery in regular personal wear, there is no such exemption for household silver. Silver cutlery, trays, serving dishes, ornaments and utensils are zakatable in all four schools, whether or not they are in daily use. If you keep a silver dinner service or decorative silverware, its value counts towards your zakat.

How much zakat on 1 tola of silver

One tola equals 11.6638 grams. To find the zakat on any weight of silver, convert to grams, adjust for purity, value at today's silver price, and take 2.5%. As with gold, a small amount of silver alone falls below the 52.5 tola nisab, so zakat on a few tola of silver by itself is not due. But once combined with your cash and gold, it becomes part of your zakatable wealth and is assessed against the silver nisab.

When is zakat on silver due?

Zakat on silver falls due once you have held it, above the nisab, for one full lunar year, the hawl. Silver acquired partway through your zakat year joins your existing wealth and is assessed on your usual zakat date. Brief dips below the nisab during the year do not reset the clock, as long as you are above it at the start and end.

Verifying today's silver price

Silver prices have risen sharply in recent years, which changes both the nisab and the zakat due, so an out-of-date figure can mislead badly. The calculator uses a live silver price so your figure is current. If your local rate differs, you can type it in. A reliable global benchmark is the LBMA silver price.

Related calculators

Silver is usually part of a wider picture, so you may also want our Zakat on Gold calculator, the Nisab Today page, or the full Zakat Calculator which combines silver with all your other wealth in one place.

Frequently asked questions

What is the nisab for silver?

The silver nisab is 612.36 grams of pure silver, equal to 52.5 tola or 200 dirhams. This threshold was set by the Prophet, peace be upon him. If you hold this much silver, or reach it combined with other wealth, zakat of 2.5% is due.

How much zakat is due on silver?

Zakat on silver is 2.5% of its market value. Weigh your silver, adjust for purity, value it at today's silver price, and take 2.5%.

Why is the silver nisab used for mixed wealth?

Because the silver nisab is much lower in value than gold, using it brings more people into zakat and sends more to the needy. Most scholars apply the silver nisab to anyone holding a mix of cash, gold and silver.

Is household silver zakatable?

Yes. Silver cutlery, trays, utensils and decorative items are zakatable in all four schools, unlike gold jewellery where the schools differ. Adjust for purity, as utensils are often 90% pure and sterling is 92.5%.

How much is 1 tola of silver worth for zakat?

One tola is 11.6638 grams. Multiply by today's silver price per gram, adjust for purity, then take 2.5%. A few tola alone is below the 52.5 tola nisab, so zakat is only due if your combined wealth crosses the threshold.

This calculator gives a reliable estimate for ordinary situations and is not a substitute for a scholarly ruling. For antique silverware, mixed alloys, or silver held in trust, consult a qualified scholar. Verify the silver price against your local market on the day.