Zakat on Gold

Is zakat payable on gold?

Yes. Gold is one of the two precious metals named explicitly in the Qur'an and the Sunnah as subject to zakat, alongside silver. This applies to gold in every form: bullion bars, coins such as the gold dinar or sovereign, and jewellery. The Qur'an warns sternly against hoarding gold and silver without paying what is due on it (Surah At-Tawbah 9:34), which is why scholars across all schools agree that investment gold is fully zakatable.

The rate is the standard zakat rate of 2.5%, applied to the market value of your gold on your zakat date. The only genuine disagreement concerns gold worn as everyday jewellery, which we cover in detail below.

The evidence from the Qur'an and Sunnah

The obligation rests on clear texts. Beyond the warning in Surah At-Tawbah, the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, instructed that on silver a fortieth is due, and scholars apply the same fortieth (2.5%) to gold by consensus. The rate has never been a point of dispute across the schools.

Why gold is treated as wealth

Gold is money in its most enduring form. Unlike goods that wear out, it holds value across generations, which is precisely why Islam treats stored gold as accumulated wealth on which the poor have a right, rather than as a personal possession like clothing.

How to calculate zakat on gold, step by step

The method is the same whether you own a single ring or a safe full of bullion:

1. Weigh your gold. Total the weight of everything you own, in grams or tola. A jeweller can weigh pieces without dismantling them.
2. Adjust for purity. Only pure gold counts. 24K is pure; 22K is 91.6%; 21K is 87.5%; 18K is 75%. Multiply your weight by the purity factor to get pure grams.
3. Value it at today's price. Multiply your pure grams by the current 24K gold price per gram.
4. Take 2.5%. Multiply that value by 0.025. That is your zakat on gold, provided your total wealth is above the nisab.

Using the calculator above

The calculator performs every step for you, pulling a live gold price and applying the carat you select, so you never need to source three different rates or do the purity maths by hand. Enter each holding, pick its carat, and it totals the pure gold value and the zakat instantly.

Weighing tips

At home

A small digital scale accurate to 0.1g is enough for most jewellery. Remove any non-gold stones or attachments where possible, since only the gold is zakatable.

At the jeweller

Most jewellers will weigh your pieces free of charge and tell you the carat, which is often stamped on the item. Note each piece's weight and carat separately if they differ.

The nisab for gold: 87.48 grams or 7.5 tola

The gold nisab is 87.48 grams of pure gold, which equals 7.5 tola or 20 mithqal. If gold is the only zakatable wealth you own, it must reach this weight before any zakat is due. This is an important and often misunderstood point: on its own, 1 tola, 2 tola, or even 6 tola of gold falls below the nisab, so no zakat is owed on that gold by itself.

When your gold combines with other wealth

However, very few people own only gold. The moment you also hold cash, bank savings, or silver, your gold is added to that wealth and the combined total is tested against the silver nisab, which is far lower. Because most people have some savings alongside their gold, in practice the silver nisab is usually the relevant threshold, and your gold becomes zakatable as part of your overall wealth.

The practical result for most people

You can see exactly how this works by entering all your assets in the calculator above, which combines them and applies the correct threshold. For the live threshold in your currency, see our dedicated Nisab Today page.

Gold carats and purity: 24K, 22K, 21K, 18K

Zakat is due only on the actual gold in an item, not on the alloy metals mixed with it for strength. Purity is measured in carats out of 24:

The purity factors

• 24K — pure gold, purity factor 1.0
• 22K — 91.6% pure, factor 0.916 (the most common jewellery gold in South Asia and the Gulf)
• 21K — 87.5% pure, factor 0.875 (common in the Gulf)
• 18K — 75% pure, factor 0.75
• 14K — 58.3% pure; 9K — 37.5% pure

Converting carat to zakatable value

To find the zakatable value of, say, 22K jewellery, multiply its weight by 0.916 to get the pure gold content, then value that at the 24K market price. The calculator applies the right factor automatically when you choose a carat, so you can enter mixed holdings of different carats and it totals them correctly.

A note on hallmarks

Carat is usually stamped on jewellery as 916 (22K), 875 (21K), or 750 (18K). If unmarked, a jeweller can test it.

How much zakat on 1 tola, 10 tola and beyond

The tola is the traditional gold weight used in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and one tola equals exactly 11.6638 grams. To find the zakat on any number of tola, convert to grams, adjust for purity, value at today's price, and take 2.5%. As a rule of thumb, the zakat on gold is roughly the value of one gram for every 40 grams you own, since 2.5% is one fortieth.

Tola conversion table

Common holdings

1 tola = 11.66g, 5 tola = 58.32g, 7.5 tola = 87.48g (the nisab), 10 tola = 116.64g. Remember that whether zakat is due depends on the nisab and your total wealth, but once it is due, it applies to all your gold.

Zakat on gold jewellery: the four madhabs

This is the one area where sincere scholars differ, and it can significantly change your zakat, so it is worth understanding clearly.

The Hanafi position

Hanafi: all gold is zakatable, including jewellery worn every day. There is no exemption for personal use. This is the majority practice across South Asia and Turkey.

The Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali position

Shafi'i, Maliki, Hanbali: gold jewellery kept for legitimate regular personal wear is generally exempt. However, gold held as an investment, stored away, worn only rarely, or owned in excessive quantity beyond normal use, remains zakatable.

What all schools agree on

Across all schools, gold bullion, coins and bars are always zakatable, because they are held as wealth rather than worn. The calculator lets you select your school, and when you choose a non-Hanafi madhab it gives you a field to set aside the weight of your everyday jewellery.

When in doubt

The more cautious course, and the Hanafi position, is to include all gold. For a full treatment see our Zakat on Gold Jewellery guide.

Which gold is zakatable, and which is not

Zakatable gold includes investment bullion and coins, gold jewellery (subject to the madhab rules above), inherited gold once you have held it a lunar year, gifted gold, and gold stored in a bank locker or safe.

Gold that is exempt

Gold that is genuinely in daily personal use is exempt in three of the four schools. What is never zakatable is gold plating or gold-coloured costume jewellery that contains no real gold, since there is no gold content to value.

Inherited and gifted gold

Inherited gold becomes yours from the moment you take possession, and it starts its own lunar year from that date. You do not owe back-zakat for the years before you inherited it. Once you have held it for one full lunar year and your wealth is above the nisab, it is zakatable like any other gold you own. The same applies to gold received as a gift or as part of a bridal set.

Bridal and wedding gold

Gold given at a wedding belongs to the person who receives it, usually the bride, and she pays zakat on it once she has held it a lunar year, subject to her school's ruling on worn jewellery.

When is zakat on gold due?

Zakat on gold, like all zakat on wealth, is due once you have owned the gold, above the nisab, for one full lunar year (the hawl). If you acquire gold partway through your zakat year and you are already above the nisab, most scholars hold that it simply joins your existing wealth and is assessed on your usual zakat date, rather than starting a separate year of its own. To understand the timing fully, see our guide on when zakat is due.

Verifying today's gold price

The value of your gold, and therefore your zakat, depends entirely on the current gold price, which changes every day. The calculator uses a live gold price so your figure is current, but retail gold in your local market may carry a premium over the international spot price.

Local rates versus spot price

If you know your local rate, for instance from a trusted jeweller or a national body, you can type it into the calculator and the valuation updates instantly. Reputable live gold price references include the LBMA gold price, the global benchmark used across the industry.

Related calculators

Gold is rarely someone's only wealth, so you may also want our Zakat on Silver calculator, our Zakat on Cash and Savings guide, or the full Zakat Calculator which combines every asset in one place. For country-specific gold rates and tola-based figures, see Zakat Calculator Pakistan and Zakat Calculator India.

Frequently asked questions

How much zakat is due on gold?

Zakat on gold is 2.5% of its current market value, provided your total zakatable wealth is above the nisab and has been held for one lunar year. On gold worth 10,000, the zakat is 250.

How much zakat on 1 tola of gold?

One tola is 11.6638 grams. Multiply that by today's gold price per gram, adjust for purity, then take 2.5%. On its own, 1 tola is below the 7.5 tola gold nisab, so zakat is only due if your combined wealth crosses the threshold.

What is the nisab for gold?

The gold nisab is 87.48 grams, or 7.5 tola, of pure gold. If gold is your only asset it must reach this weight. If you also hold cash or silver, the lower silver nisab usually applies to your combined wealth.

Is zakat due on gold jewellery I wear?

It depends on your school. In the Hanafi school all gold is zakatable, including worn jewellery. In the Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools, jewellery in regular personal use is generally exempt, while stored or investment gold is always zakatable.

How do I calculate zakat on 22K or 18K gold?

Zakat is due on the pure gold content. 22K gold is 91.6% pure and 18K is 75% pure. Multiply your weight by the purity factor to get pure grams, then value at the 24K price. The calculator does this automatically.

Is zakat due on inherited gold?

Yes, once you have held it for one lunar year from the date you took possession. Inherited gold starts a new hawl from that date.

Does gold in a bank locker count?

Yes. Gold stored in a bank locker or safe is treated exactly like gold held at home.

This calculator gives a reliable estimate for ordinary situations and is not a substitute for a scholarly ruling. For a complex estate, mixed holdings, or an unusual asset, consult a qualified scholar. Verify the gold price against your local market on the day you calculate.