How to Calculate Zakat in 2026 (Nisab, Gold & Silver)

By the Profitvana Editorial Team · Updated August 2026

Zakat is an annual charitable payment in Islam, set at 2.5% of qualifying wealth once it passes a threshold (the nisab) and has been held a lunar year. The math itself is simple — the care goes into knowing what counts, which nisab standard to use, and how to value things like gold jewelry and business inventory. Here is the complete method for 2026.

Step 1: list what counts as zakatable wealth

Zakat is due on: cash and bank balances (all currencies), gold and silver in any form, money reliably owed to you, business inventory and merchandise at its current sale value, and investments held for resale. Your home, personal car, furniture, and everyday belongings are not zakatable.

Online sellers note: your unsold stock is zakatable at what it would sell for today — not what you paid for it. Marketplace balances awaiting payout (eBay, Etsy, PayPal) count as cash.

Step 2: subtract due debts

Subtract debts that are actually due now (bills, supplier invoices, this year's due installments) from your total. Long-term future obligations are treated differently across schools — if large, ask a scholar. The result is your net zakatable wealth.

Step 3: check the nisab

Zakat is only due if your net wealth reaches the nisab, defined by weight of precious metal — so its money value changes daily with metal prices. Two standards exist:

Because the silver nisab is much lower, most scholars recommend it as the default — more people qualify to give, and more of the poor benefit. Note that some scholarly bodies use slightly different weights (87.48 g gold / 612.36 g silver, from a different classical conversion); both are legitimate. Our zakat calculator reads live metal prices so the threshold is always current, and every gold price page shows today's gold nisab in the local currency.

Standard	Weight	Basis
Gold nisab	85 g of pure gold	20 mithqal (dinar) standard
Silver nisab	595 g of pure silver	200 dirham standard

Step 4: the lunar year (hawl), then 2.5%

If your net wealth stays at or above the nisab for one full lunar year (hawl ≈ 354 days), you pay 2.5% of the total — not just the part above the threshold. Many people fix a hijri date (commonly in Ramadan) and calculate on it every year, which is easier to track than following each asset separately.

A worked example

Suppose on your zakat date you hold: $6,000 cash, $2,500 in marketplace and PayPal balances, 40 g of gold jewelry (~$3,500 at current prices), and $3,000 of resale inventory, with $2,000 in supplier debts due. Net zakatable wealth: $13,000. That is above the nisab, so zakat = 2.5% × $13,000 = $325.

Gold note: jewelry in regular personal use is exempt according to some schools (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali) and zakatable according to the Hanafi school — a genuine difference of opinion, so follow your school or ask a scholar. Weigh it in grams and use the gold price per gram for the live value.

This is educational guidance, not a fatwa — for complex situations (partnerships, receivables in doubt, long-term debts), consult a qualified scholar.

Frequently asked questions

How much is nisab in 2026?

Nisab is a weight, not a fixed dollar amount: 85 g of gold or 595 g of silver, valued at today's prices. The zakat calculator shows both thresholds live in your currency.

Do I pay zakat on my business inventory?

Yes — merchandise held for sale is zakatable at its current market value on your zakat date, along with your business cash and reliable receivables. Equipment you use (not for sale) is exempt.

Gold or silver nisab — which should I use?

Most scholars recommend the silver nisab because it is lower, meaning zakat becomes due sooner and benefits more people. Using the gold standard is also valid.

Is zakat 2.5% of everything I own?

No — 2.5% of net zakatable wealth only: cash, metals, receivables, and trade inventory, minus due debts. Your home, car, and personal belongings are excluded.