Short answer
In the Hanafi school, yes: gold and silver jewellery is zakatable whether it is worn every day or kept in a drawer. The Shafi'i, Maliki and Hanbali schools say there is no zakat on jewellery a woman wears in the normal way. No school charges zakat on diamonds, pearls or other gems unless they are held for trade.
Zakat at 2.5 percent is fard on gold and silver jewellery, worn or not, by the weight of pure gold or silver it contains, when the owner's total zakatable wealth reaches the nisab. Gemstones and imitation jewellery are not zakatable unless bought for resale.
Other madhhabs
- Shafi'i
- No zakat on permitted jewellery a woman wears in the usual way. It is due on jewellery kept as savings or beyond what is customary.
- Maliki
- No zakat on jewellery kept for permitted wear. It is due on jewellery held as savings or for sale.
- Hanbali
- No zakat on jewellery kept for permitted wear or lending. It is due on jewellery held as savings, for rent or for sale.
Explanation
The Hanafi school treats gold and silver as zakatable in themselves, whatever shape they take. The Prophet ﷺ asked a woman whose daughter wore heavy gold bangles whether she paid their zakat, and warned her when she said no. Aisha reported that he asked her the same about her silver rings. On these hadiths, and the general verse on gold and silver, the Hanafis require zakat on all gold and silver jewellery.
To work it out, find the weight of pure gold in each piece. 22 carat gold is about 91.6 percent pure, 21 carat 87.5 percent, and 18 carat 75 percent. Value that pure gold at the current gold price on your zakat date, add it to your other zakatable wealth, and pay 2.5 percent if the total reaches the nisab. Stones, pearls and the making charge are left out. Our zakat on gold calculator does the carat maths.
The owner pays. Jewellery given to a bride as her own is hers, so the zakat is hers. If she has no cash, she may pay from other money of her own, sell a small piece, or let her husband or a parent pay it for her with her permission. Jewellery lent to her for wearing that still belongs to her in-laws is zakated by them.
The other three schools exempt jewellery worn in the normal way, relying on reports from several Companions. This is a well-known difference among the imams. Those who follow the Hanafi school pay; paying is also the cautious course for anyone unsure.
The evidence
Quran, Surah At-Tawba 9:34
۞ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْأَحْبَارِ وَٱلرُّهْبَانِ لَيَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَٰلَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلْبَٰطِلِ وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱلَّذِينَ يَكْنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلْفِضَّةَ وَلَا يُنفِقُونَهَا فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرْهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍۢ ﴿٣٤﴾
O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly and avert [them] from the way of Allah. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah - give them tidings of a painful punishment.
The verse names gold and silver as wealth on which Allah's right is due, without separating jewellery.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1563
Graded hasan... أتعطين زكاة هذا قالت لا قال أيسرك أن يسورك الله بهما ...
"Do you pay the zakat on this? Would you like Allah to put two bracelets of fire on you for them on the Day of Resurrection?"
Said about gold bangles that were being worn, which the Hanafis take as proof that worn jewellery is zakatable.
Sunan Abi Dawud 1565
Graded sahih... قلت لا أو ما شاء الله قال هو حسبك من النار ...
"Do you pay their zakat? That is enough to put you in the Fire."
Said to Aisha about silver rings she wore to adorn herself.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Hidaya, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the zakat of gold. Zakat is due on gold and silver jewellery whether worn or not.
- Radd al-Muhtar, Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on the zakat of wealth. Gems and pearls are not zakatable unless for trade.
- al-Majmu', Kitab al-Zakat, chapter on jewellery. The Shafi'i exemption for permitted, worn jewellery.
- al-Mughni, Kitab al-Zakat, section on jewellery. The Hanbali exemption and its conditions.
This answer is pending review by the scholars on our team. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.