How it works
The nisab of gold is set in pure gold: 20 mithqals, about 85 grams of 24-karat gold. Most jewellery is not pure — 21-karat gold, common in Egypt and the Gulf, is 21/24 = 87.5% gold — so the first step is to convert each piece to its pure-gold weight.
pure gold (g) = grams × karat ÷ 24 zakat = 2.5% of the pure gold (in grams) or of its valueIf the total pure gold reaches 85 g and you have owned it for a full Hijri year, zakat is due at one quarter of one tenth (2.5%). You can pay it as gold or as its value in money; for the value, enter today’s price of one gram of 24-karat gold from a trusted local source. The calculator does not fetch prices, so the result is always based on the price you trust.
Worked example. 100 g of 21-karat gold = 100 × 21 ÷ 24 = 87.5 g of pure gold, which is above the 85 g nisab. Zakat = 2.5% × 87.5 = 2.188 g of pure gold. With 24k gold at 5,000 per gram, the gold is worth 437,500 and zakat is 10,937.50.
By contrast, 60 g of 21k plus 40 g of 18k is 52.5 + 30 = 82.5 g of pure gold — below the nisab, so no zakat is due on the gold alone.
Karats and purity
| Karat | Gold content | Pure gold in 10 g |
|---|---|---|
| 24k | 99.9% | 10 g |
| 22k | 91.7% | 9.17 g |
| 21k | 87.5% | 8.75 g |
| 18k | 75% | 7.5 g |
Points scholars discuss
- Jewellery worn regularly: scholars differ. The Hanafi school and many contemporary bodies require zakat on it; the majority of the other schools do not when it is for normal personal use. Gold kept for saving or investment is zakatable by agreement.
- Combining with money: many scholars add gold to cash and trade goods to reach the nisab. If you hold several kinds of wealth, use the zakat on wealth calculator, entering your gold’s value there.
- Stones and craftsmanship (gems, making charges) are not counted; only the gold weight is.
Many people pay zakat in Ramadan — see the Ramadan countdown. When in doubt, ask a scholar you trust.