Do I pay zakat on diamond jewelry?
No, you don't pay zakat on diamonds you wear, according to all four Sunni schools. Precious stones are not one of the wealth types zakat is due on. The exception is diamonds bought to resell or as an investment, and any gold or silver in the setting may still count.
Why diamonds are treated differently from gold
Zakat is not due on everything valuable you own. The Prophet ﷺ set it on specific kinds of wealth: gold, silver, cash, trade goods, crops and livestock. He also set the minimum for silver, saying there is no zakat on less than five awaq (Sahih al-Bukhari 1447). Gems such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and pearls are not on that list, so the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools agree that personal jewelry made of stones carries no zakat, however expensive it is.
The poor have a right in your wealth, but Islam defines that right clearly, so you don't have to guess about every item in your home.
The gold or silver setting
A diamond ring is usually a stone in a gold or platinum band. Platinum is not gold or silver, so most scholars treat it like the diamond. Gold is different. Scholars differ on gold jewelry that you wear:
- Hanafi school: zakat is due on gold and silver jewelry, even if worn, once you reach the nisab.
- Majority (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali): no zakat on jewelry that is normally worn, unless it is excessive or kept as savings.
If you follow the Hanafi view, only the weight of the gold counts, not the stone. A jeweler can give you a rough gold weight. See Do I pay zakat on gold jewelry I wear?
When diamonds are zakatable
Things change if the diamonds are stock or an investment. A jeweler's inventory, or loose stones you bought planning to sell at a profit, count as trade goods. You add their current resale value on your zakat date to your other wealth and pay 2.5% on the total if it reaches the nisab. See How much money do I need before I have to pay zakat?
Use the realistic price you could sell for, not the retail tag. Diamonds often resell for far less than you paid.
Inherited or stored jewelry
A diamond necklace from your grandmother that sits in a drawer is still a stone, so no zakat on the stone itself. If you decide to sell it, the cash you get joins your savings and is counted at your next zakat date. See How do I calculate my zakat?
- No zakat on diamonds or other gems kept for personal use.
- Gold in the setting follows the gold jewelry rules, where scholars differ.
- Diamonds held for resale or investment are trade goods: 2.5% of resale value.
- Value investments at what you could actually sell them for.
People also ask
What if my savings drop below nisab during the year?
If savings drop below nisab mid-year, most scholars say the zakat year restarts; the Hanafi school looks only at the start and end of the year.
Read the full answer →Can zakat help victims of human trafficking?
Yes, zakat can help Muslim victims of human trafficking as poor, indebted or stranded people; many apply 'freeing captives' to modern slavery.
Read the full answer →Is there zakat on animals like sheep and cows?
Yes, there is zakat on sheep, goats, cows and camels once you own a minimum number for a year. Pets, riding horses and working animals are exempt.
Read the full answer →Can zakat be used to pay someone's rent?
Yes, zakat can pay the rent of a poor or struggling Muslim, either as cash or paid to the landlord with their permission. Conditions and school views.
Read the full answer →Can I give zakat as food instead of money?
It depends: most scholars say zakat on money is paid in money, while Hanafis allow food of equal value. Zakat al-fitr is food by default.
Read the full answer →