Zakat on Agricultural Produce (زكاة الزروع والثمار)
Zakat on agricultural products (الزروع والثمار) is a divine obligation on harvests. It differs from other types of Zakat by not requiring a Hawl.
Allah ﷻ says: "وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ" — "And give its due on the day of its harvest" — Surah Al-An'am (6:141)
1. Products Subject to Zakat
📌 General Principle
| School | What is zakatable |
|---|
| 🟡 Maliki | 4 types: grains, legumes, oilseeds, dried fruits |
| 🟢 Hanafi | Everything that grows from the earth |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | What is preserved and used as staple food |
| 🟣 Hanbali | What is weighed and preserved |
📋 The 4 Maliki Categories
| Category | Examples | Arabic |
|---|
| Grains (الحبوب) | Wheat, barley, rice, corn, millet | القمح، الشعير، الأرز |
| Legumes (القطاني) | Lentils, chickpeas, beans | العدس، الحمص، الفول |
| Oilseeds (الزيتيات) | Olives, sesame | الزيتون، السمسم |
| Dried Fruits (الفواكه) | Dates, raisins | التمر، الزبيب |
⚠️ What Is NOT Zakatable (Maliki)
| Product | Reason |
|---|
| Fresh vegetables | Cannot be preserved |
| Fresh fruits | Cannot be preserved (except dates/grapes) |
| Spices | Used as condiments |
| Honey | Divergence (not zakatable according to Maliki) |
2. Conditions for Agricultural Zakat
📋 The Conditions
| # | Condition | Explanation |
|---|
| 1 | Nisab | 5 awsuq (approximately 653 kg) |
| 2 | Ownership at harvest | Being owner at the time of harvest |
| 3 | Intentional cultivation | Cultivated by the owner |
| 4 | Zakatable product | Among recognized categories |
📌 No Hawl!
⚠️ Specificity: Agricultural Zakat does not require a Hawl (year). It is due on the day of harvest (يوم حصاده).
3. The Agricultural Nisab
📌 5 Awsuq (خمسة أوسق)
| Measure | Equivalent |
|---|
| 1 wasq | 60 sa' |
| 5 awsuq | 300 sa' |
| Modern weight | ≈ 653 kg (based on average wheat) |
📌 Reference Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no Zakat below 5 awsuq" — Al-Bukhari (1484) and Muslim (979)
📋 Nisab Calculation by Product
| Product | Approximate Nisab |
|---|
| Wheat | 653 kg |
| Barley | 653 kg |
| Dates | 653 kg |
| Raisins | 653 kg |
| Rice | 653 kg |
💡 The nisab is calculated on the dried and cleaned product, not on fresh produce.
4. Agricultural Zakat Rate
📌 Principle: According to Irrigation Method
| Irrigation Method | Rate | Fraction |
|---|
| Natural (rain, springs, rivers) | 10% | العُشر (1/10) |
| Artificial (wells, pumps, irrigation) | 5% | نصف العُشر (1/20) |
| Mixed | 7.5% | According to proportion |
📌 Reference Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ said: "What is irrigated by the sky and springs: one-tenth (10%). What is irrigated by drawing water: half of one-tenth (5%)" — Al-Bukhari (1483)
📋 Calculation Examples
| Situation | Harvest | Irrigation | Rate | Zakat Due |
|---|
| Rain-fed wheat field | 1000 kg | Natural | 10% | 100 kg |
| Irrigated olive grove | 2000 kg | Artificial | 5% | 100 kg |
| Mixed orchard | 1500 kg | 50/50 | 7.5% | 112.5 kg |
5. Time of Obligation
📌 When Does Zakat Become Obligatory?
| School | Timing |
|---|
| 🟡 Maliki | When the grain hardens or the fruit ripens |
| 🟢 Hanafi | At harvest |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | At maturity |
| 🟣 Hanbali | At maturity |
📌 Time of Payment
| Stage | Action |
|---|
| 1 | Grain hardens / fruit ripens |
| 2 | Zakat becomes obligatory |
| 3 | Harvest and drying |
| 4 | Payment after drying |
6. Costs and Deductions
📊 SCHOOLS' POSITIONS
| School | Are costs deducted from Nisab? |
|---|
| 🟡 Maliki | No, costs are not deducted |
| 🟢 Hanafi | No |
| 🔵 Shafi'i | No |
| 🟣 Hanbali | Yes, some costs |
💡 Maliki Position: Cultivation costs (seeds, plowing, labor) are not deducted. Zakat is calculated on gross harvest, but the reduced rate (5%) already compensates for irrigation costs.
7. Special Cases
📋 Multiple Harvests
| Situation | Maliki Rule |
|---|
| 2 harvests/year of same product | Each harvest independent |
| Different products | Each has its own nisab |
| Same season, same product | Combined for nisab |
📋 Leased Land (الإجارة)
| Party | Who Pays Zakat? |
|---|
| Owner | On rent received (if nisab reached) |
| Tenant | On the harvest |
📋 Sharecropping (المزارعة/المساقاة)
| Party | Zakat Due |
|---|
| Owner | On their share of harvest |
| Sharecropper | On their share of harvest |
Each party pays if their share reaches the nisab.
8. Modern Applications
📋 Commercial Agriculture
| Type | Rule |
|---|
| Traditional farm | Agricultural Zakat (10% or 5%) |
| Commercial farm | Agricultural Zakat on harvests |
| Processing (flour, oil) | Zakat on raw product before processing |
📋 Agricultural Cooperatives
| Situation | Rule |
|---|
| Cooperative member | Zakat on their share |
| Collective harvest | Each member on their portion |
📋 Unmentioned Products
| Product | Maliki View |
|---|
| Coffee | Not zakatable (not in the 4 categories) |
| Cocoa | Not zakatable |
| Fresh fruits | Not zakatable |
| Vegetables | Not zakatable |
| Spices | Not zakatable |
💡 However, if these products are sold and the money is saved, monetary Zakat applies.
9. Payment of Zakat
📋 Payment Options
| Option | Validity |
|---|
| In kind (from the harvest) | ✅ Recommended |
| In cash (equivalent value) | ✅ Permitted |
📌 To Whom?
Agricultural Zakat follows the same categories of beneficiaries as other types of Zakat (see lesson 035).
🎯 Summary
| Point | Maliki Rule |
|---|
| Zakatable products | Grains, legumes, oilseeds, dried fruits |
| Nisab | 5 awsuq (≈ 653 kg) |
| Natural irrigation | 10% (العُشر) |
| Artificial irrigation | 5% (نصف العُشر) |
| Hawl | Not required |
| Timing | On the day of harvest |
| Deductions | No deduction of costs |
📋 Rate Summary Table
| Irrigation Method | Rate | Arabic |
|---|
| Rain, springs, rivers | 10% | العُشر |
| Wells, pumps, irrigation | 5% | نصف العُشر |
| Mixed (50/50) | 7.5% | — |
| Mixed (70% natural) | 8.5% | — |
| Mixed (30% natural) | 6.5% | — |
📚 Sources
- Surah Al-An'am, verse 141
- Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadiths no. 1483, 1484
- Sahih Muslim, Hadith no. 979
- Al-Muwatta by Imam Malik
- Al-Mudawwana by Imam Malik
- Mukhtasar Khalil
- Ash-Sharh Al-Kabir by Ad-Dardir