Q. You have stated several times that women’s jewelry are exempt from zakah. Yet I have come across three Hadiths that are clear in making such zakah obligatory. Could you please tell me what is the basis of the opposite view.
Nishat, Dammam
A. Yes, these three Hadiths are often quoted in support of the view that women’s jewelry is liable to zakah. They are given in similar wording. One of them is reported by Asmaa bint Yazeed who says: “I went with my maternal aunt to the Prophet, and we were wearing gold bracelets. The Prophet asked us if we gave zakah for them, and we answered in the negative. He said: “Do you not fear that God should give you bracelets of fire? Give zakah for it.” (Related by Ahmad). Another is reported by Aishah: “The Prophet came to my room and found me wearing silver rings. He asked: ‘What is this, Aishah?’ I said: ‘I have obtained them to adorn myself for your sake.’ He said: ‘Do you pay its zakah?’ I said that I did not. He said: ‘This is sufficient for a share of fire.’” (Related by Abu Dawood, Al-Daraqutni and Al-Bayhaqi).
It should be noted that none of the three Hadiths is related in the authentic collections of Malik, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Nevertheless, the Sahfie, Maliki and Hanbali schools of Fiqh give the ruling I have often stated that women jewelry is exempt from zakah. The basis is similarly valid. Al-Bayhaqi reports: “Jabir ibn Abdullah was asked whether women’s jewelry is liable to zakah, and he said that it is not. He was asked, ‘even if its value is a thousand dinars?’ He said: ‘And even more.’” Al-Bayhaqi also reports that Asma’ bint Abu Bakr gave her daughters gold jewelry worth 50 000 and did not pay zakah for it. In Al-Muwatta’, which is rated as equal in authenticity to Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is reported that Aishah was looking after her nieces, who were orphans, and they had jewelry but she did not pay zakah for it. Similarly, Abdullah ibn Umar gave his daughters and servants gold jewelry and paid no zakah for it. All these reports show the basis for the ruling I have repeatedly published. In addition I may say that a main principle in zakah is that it is liable on property that is, by its nature, liable to growth. Needless to say, women’s jewelry is not liable in this way. Hence, it is not subject to zakah.