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Fatwa CenterZakah only due if money reaches nisaab
Question
Assalaamu alaykum respected Sheikh. I have been told that if you do not have wealth that has been kept for one year, like savings, then there is no zakah due. I also heard that the Nisaab for gold jewellery is 85 grams and that that of silver is a little more than 550 grams. I have five gold rings that do not weigh more than five grams and are not pure gold. Also, I have a few silver rings that are less than five grams and of which I am not sure of their purity. And we do not own any money that we have had more than a few months. So everyone tells me that I do not need to pay zakah. But I feel uneasy about this and feel I am doing something wrong buy not paying zakah on my jewellery because of the hadith of our Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, that says that wealth on which zakah was not paid will be a punishment. And although we do not have any money that has been saved for more than a few months, my husband and I and our kids live a very comfortable life, praise be to Allaah, and we always have an amount left after paying our living expenses. We are not poor people, praise be to Allaah. May Allaah ease the suffering of our brothers. So my conscience is telling me that I should be paying zakah, and I am worried of what will happen if it turns out that we should be doing so because of our good conditions. May Allaah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Zakah is only due when the money reaches the Nisaab (minimum amount liable for zakah) and one year elapses on it. The Nisaab of gold is approximately 85 grams of pure gold, and the Nisaab of silver is approximately 595 grams of pure silver. Please, refer to fatwa 81355.
On the other hand, there is a difference of opinion regarding the jewelry kept for adornment and whether or not zakah must be paid on it (if it reaches the Nisaab). But it is better to pay zakah on it in order to be on the safe side.
Based on the above, since you do not possess a Nisaab on which zakah must be paid, then you are not obliged to pay zakah, and you are not sinful for this. So you have no sound reason to say that you do not feel at ease or the like. However, the door of charity (Sadaqah) is open, and there is much good in voluntary charity. So if you wish to give something in charity after fulfilling your needs, then you will get a reward from Allaah for it. Allaah says (what means): {But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] - He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers.} [Quran 34:39]
For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 100610.
Allaah knows best.
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