Where do the madhabs differ on zakat? Mainly on four points: zakat on worn jewellery, whether debts are subtracted, which nisab (gold or silver) applies to cash, and whether gold and silver are added together.
| Question | Hanafi | Shafi’i | Maliki | Hanbali | Ahl-e-Hadith | Shia (Sistani) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worn jewellery | Zakatable | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Zakatable | Exempt |
| Debts subtracted | Yes | No | Yes (cash, gold, trade) | Yes | No | n/a |
| Nisab for cash | Silver | Gold (local practice) | Silver or gold | The lower of the two, which is better for the poor | The lower of the two | No zakat on paper money |
| Gold + silver combined | Yes, by value | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Gold nisab | 87.48 g | 87.48 g | 87.48 g | 87.48 g | 87.48 g | 69.12 g (coins) |
| Main source | Darul Uloom Deoband | al-Majmu’, MUIS | Irsyad Fatwa 38 | Akhsar al-Mukhtasarat | Permanent Committee | Sistani, rulings 1912-1916 |
Try it with your own numbers
The calculator below shows your zakat in all six schools at once.
Inheritance differs too
The schools also divide an estate differently in some families: a grandfather with brothers, the case of al-Mushtaraka, or what is left when only a spouse survives. The wirasat calculator shows any family’s shares in all six madhabs side by side.
Why there are differences
The schools read the hadiths about jewellery differently. Hanafi scholars take the reports in which the Prophet ﷺ asked women whether they paid zakat on their bracelets as a general rule; the other three schools consider permissible jewellery like personal belongings, citing companions such as Aishah and Asma who did not pay zakat on the jewellery of the girls in their care. On debts, the Shafi’i school treats zakat as a right tied to the wealth itself, so a debt owed to someone else does not remove it.
All of these are legitimate scholarly positions. Follow the school you follow in your other worship, and ask your scholar when you are unsure.
Frequently asked questions
Which madhab gives the highest zakat?
Usually the Hanafi and Ahl-e-Hadith calculations, because both count worn jewellery and use the lower silver nisab for cash. Ahl-e-Hadith is often the highest of all, because debts are not subtracted.
Can I choose the madhab with the lowest zakat?
Scholars advise following the school you normally follow, not picking the easiest view for each question.
Kis maslak mein zakat sab se zyada banti hai?
Aam tor par Hanafi aur Ahl-e-Hadith mein, kyun ke dono pehne hue zevar ko ginte hain aur naqdi ke liye chandi ka kam nisab lete hain. Ahl-e-Hadith hisab mein qarz minus nahi hota, is liye aksar wahi sab se zyada hota hai.
Kya har maslak mein zevar par zakat hai?
Nahi. Hanafi aur Ahl-e-Hadith mein pehne hue zevar par zakat hai; Shafi'i, Maliki aur Hanbali mein jaiz pehna hua zevar mustasna hai; Ayatollah Sistani ke mutabiq bhi zevar par zakat nahi.