Zakah Methodology

1. Our Scholarly Foundations

Our calculator is grounded in:

• The Qur'an and authentic Sunnah
• The majority positions of the four Sunni schools of law (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali)
• Classical juristic works within those schools
• Fiqh al-Zakah by Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi
• AAOIFI Shari'ah Standard No. 35 (Zakah)
• Sheikh Joe Bradford's research and Simple Zakat Guide

In addition, Zakah.com maintains consultation with a team of scholars whom we regularly contact regarding the topics and rulings published on the platform, including Sheikh Syed Sabih, Islamic Finance Scholar and Advisor.

2. Our Approach to Differences of Opinion

Zakah is an area of fiqh in which legitimate differences of opinion exist across the madhahib and among contemporary scholars.

Zakah.com does not attempt to present every opinion. Instead:

• We prioritize majority positions across the four schools.
• Where modern financial matters are involved, we give strong weight to AAOIFI standards and the works of Sheikh Joe Bradford.
• When multiple strong positions exist, we adopt one or two views that are:
  • Well-supported by scholarship
  • Practical for modern users
  • Suitable for structured calculator implementation

Our adopted positions are reviewed through ongoing scholarly consultation, including with Sheikh Syed Sabih and other advisors familiar with contemporary Islamic finance and Zakah application.

Our goal is not to function as an encyclopedia of every juristic opinion, but to provide a clear and manageable framework that allows Muslims to calculate their Zakah confidently and consistently.

3. Modern Financial Instruments

For contemporary assets such as:

• Public stocks and investment portfolios
• Retirement accounts
• Cryptocurrency
• Real estate intended for sale
• Business structures and corporate holdings

We analyze these assets through classical principles such as:

• Complete ownership (al-milk al-tamm)
• Growth (nama')
• Liquidity and accessibility
• Trade versus personal use

Where classical literature does not directly address modern instruments, we prioritize:

• AAOIFI Shari'ah Standards
• Contemporary fiqh analysis
• Sheikh Joe Bradford's applied Zakah research
• Ongoing review and consultation with our scholarly advisory team, including Sheikh Syed Sabih

This ensures that classical principles are responsibly translated into modern financial contexts.

4. Applied Calculation Policies

To maintain clarity and consistency within the calculator, we adopt structured rules for certain asset classes:

• Stocks & long-term investments: 30% methodology as an applied screening approach for passive investments.
• Long-term personal liabilities: 25% rule, as a conservative and balanced method of deducting multi-year debt obligations.

These policies reflect contemporary scholarly discussion and are designed to prevent abuse while maintaining fairness and ease of calculation.