Asalamu alaikum
I recently used the zakat calculator that was shared by IFG on their video about calculating zakat.
I’m a student so don’t have much in savings but still thought I would have to pay something. However, when I put in the fact that I had student loans, I was told that I had £0 zakat to pay.
So, my question is: in light of my student loan debt, do I not have to pay zakat?
Jazakumallahu khairan
Wasalam
May Allah bless you.
The general rule on debt deduction is that one can deduct the amount owed from the zakat calculation according to the Hanafis, Hanbalis and Malikis.
However, for student loan, contemporary scholars argue that you can only deduct it if you started the repayment, and the maximum amount you can deduct is 12 months worth of repayments (minus any interest).
On the other hand, it is not permissible to deduct any part of a debt repayment from the zakat calculation according to the Shafi’is.
And Allah knows best!
Jazakallah khair for your response.
I am Shafi’i so will this mean that I include the debt payment now even though I have yet to begin repaying it?
Thanks in advance
No, on the contrary, if you follow the Shafi’i school of jurisprudence, the debt payment will never be included in your zakat calculation. So if you have £1000 cash in the bank account, and you have £200 debt, then your zakat will still be payable on the full £1000 and not on £800 (i.e. £1000 minus £200).
It is worth noting, that the Shafi’is position on this issue is one of the strongest opinion along the opinion of Sheikh Uthaymin (ra).
And Allah knows best!
Ah jazakallah khair, allah yahfadhak.
Thank you for clarifying this for me, May allah reward you.
Ramadhan Mubarak