Cash & Savings Zakat Calculator — Bank Accounts, Cash in Hand

Zakat on cash and savings is the most straightforward form of this annual Islamic obligation — and for many Muslims in the Gulf and Egypt, it represents the largest portion of their total Zakat. This free cash Zakat calculator guides you step-by-step through your liquid assets, deductible debts, and the nisab check to give you a precise, transparent result in your local currency. ## What Is Zakat on Cash and Money? Zakat on cash (sometimes called Zakat on money or Zakat al-Mal for liquid assets) is the 2.5% annual obligation on net liquid wealth that exceeds the nisab threshold and has been held for a full lunar year. It covers all forms of accessible money: physical notes in your wallet, balances across all bank accounts, savings deposits, money market funds, and amounts owed to you that you expect to recover. The Zakat calculation formula for cash is: Net Zakatable Wealth = Total Liquid Assets − Eligible Short-term Debts. If Net Zakatable Wealth ≥ Nisab and hawl is confirmed → Zakat Due = Net Zakatable Wealth × 2.5%. ## The Nisab for Cash Zakat: Silver vs. Gold The nisab threshold for Zakat on money is the monetary equivalent of either 612.36 grams of silver or 87.48 grams of pure gold. Because metal prices change daily, the nisab value in AED, SAR, QAR, or EGP fluctuates too. Our calculator fetches live prices from public metal price APIs and exchange rate feeds to display the current nisab the moment you open the tool. The silver-based nisab is lower and therefore more inclusive — a Muslim with modest savings who might sit above the silver nisab but below the gold nisab is still obligated under the silver threshold. Most contemporary scholars, including institutions in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Egypt, recommend using the silver nisab for cash Zakat. Our calculator defaults to silver but lets you switch to gold or enter a custom value if your scholar or local authority specifies one. ## What Assets Count as Zakatable Cash? For this cash and savings Zakat calculator, the following are zakatable: **Cash in hand**: Banknotes, coins, and any physical currency you possess on your Zakat due date. **Current and checking accounts**: The full balance of all accounts you hold, regardless of bank or country. **Savings accounts**: Including ordinary savings, high-yield accounts, and Islamic profit-sharing accounts. **Fixed deposits and term deposits**: If you have access to the funds (even with a penalty), they are generally considered zakatable. **Money market funds and cash equivalents**: Liquid investments held in low-risk funds that you can redeem quickly. **Receivables and money owed to you**: Loans you have given to family or friends, informal debts owed to you, or business receivables — but only the portion you genuinely expect to recover. **Other liquid savings**: Emergency funds, savings set aside for Hajj, wedding savings, education funds held in cash — all zakatable if held for a year above nisab. ## Deductible Debts: What Can You Subtract? Islamic scholars agree that certain liabilities reduce your zakatable wealth. The key principle is that only **immediate, short-term debts** due within the next lunar year are deductible. These include: - Outstanding credit card balances currently payable - Personal loan instalments due within the next year - Overdue bills and immediate financial obligations What you generally cannot deduct: the full outstanding balance of a long-term mortgage (only the instalment due in the coming year is debatable among scholars), future living expenses, or utility bills not yet due. Our calculator provides a separate step for debts with explanatory notes to guide you. ## Zakat on Cash in GCC Countries and Egypt The core fiqh (jurisprudence) governing cash Zakat is uniform across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Egypt. All use the 2.5% rate on net liquid assets above the nisab after one lunar year. The main difference between countries is the currency — our calculator supports AED, SAR, QAR, KWD, BHD, OMR, and EGP with live exchange rate conversion. **Saudi Arabia**: ZATCA (the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) oversees Zakat for businesses, but personal cash Zakat is an individual religious responsibility calculated and paid privately or through charities. **UAE**: No government-administered personal Zakat. Residents pay through approved charities, the UAE Red Crescent, or directly to those in need. Dubai Islamic affairs authorities publish regular nisab guidance. **Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman**: Each has national Zakat collection mechanisms primarily focused on businesses and nationals, while personal cash Zakat remains a private matter following standard Sharia rulings. **Egypt**: The Zakat House (Beit Al-Zakat) accepts and distributes Zakat but participation is voluntary. Most Egyptians calculate personal Zakat using Al-Azhar guidance consistent with this calculator. ## Joint Accounts and Foreign Currency If you hold a joint bank account, include only your share of the balance — typically 50% for a joint account with one other person. For savings held in foreign currencies (USD, EUR, GBP), convert to your chosen calculation currency at the current exchange rate on your Zakat due date. Our calculator uses live exchange rates for this conversion. A note on interest (riba): If your bank account has accrued interest that you have not yet requested removal of, most scholars advise separating this amount and donating it to charity without the intention of reward (purification, not Zakat). Do not include riba in your zakatable assets. ## The Hawl Requirement for Cash Zakat Unlike Zakat on business inventory (which can be calculated at any fiscal year end), Zakat on cash follows a personal annual cycle. Your hawl anniversary is one lunar year (approximately 354 days) after the date your net wealth first exceeded the nisab. You calculate and pay Zakat on your balance on that anniversary date — not on the average, lowest, or highest balance across the year. Our calculator includes a hawl confirmation step to ensure this condition is verified before displaying a result. ## Disclaimer This cash and savings Zakat calculator is an educational tool based on widely accepted scholarly views. It does not constitute a fatwa and is not financial or legal advice. Individual circumstances — including debt structures, joint ownership, foreign assets, or specific madhab rulings — may affect your personal obligation. Consult a qualified Islamic scholar or recognized religious authority in your country for a definitive ruling.