Zakat
Calculating and distributing zakat — nisab, eligible recipients, and zakat al-fitr.

1 Can you recommend an easy book on how to calculate Zakat? 2 How to pay Zakat on asset investments? 3 Is Zakat owed on retirement accounts, such as a 401(k)? 4 What if the 401(k) account imposes restrictions and penalties if withdrawn prematurely? 5 What is the argument for paying Zakat on restricted accounts? 6 What if one owes Zakat on a retirement account one can’t pay? 7 Are all IRAs restricted like the 401(k) with the same Zakat rulings? 8 I have a sister that is divorced and lives alone with her daughter, can I give my zakat al mal to her? As in, would it count as zakat on my behalf or would it be sadaqa? 9 Is it permissible to pay Zakat ul Fitr in cash? 10 I never paid Zakat in my life and now I have learned it is a pillar of Islam, am I responsible for the past years? If so, I don’t know how to calculate that. 11 I have 2 houses and I live in both of them. Neither one is completely paid off, so how do I pay Zakat on them? 12 How do I figure a Zakat amount to pay? When do I pay it? And who do I pay it to? 13 Can zakat be given to someone who has cancer and is receiving donations for treatment? 14 What is the Islamic ruling on any missed years of not paying Zakat? How do I rectify this? 15 If a person pays zakah amount more than the amount that is required, can this person apply the extra paid amount for the upcoming year Zakat due? 16 Is paying out Zakat obligated on elderly with severe dementia? 17 What is Zakat? 18 What is Nisab and its gold value? 19 When is Zakat due date? 20 When does Zakat become due? 21 Does one have to pay zakah on money or savings that he has already paid zakah on from the previous year? 22 Can I pay my Zakat to my married sister? 23 Is it permissible to give zakāt to a sibling who is in debt due to a home loan involving interest? 24 My wife received a significant amount of gold jewelry during our wedding, totaling about 277 grams. It was given as personal jewelry… 25 Should the niṣāb for money be calculated separately from gold and jewelry? 26 I am making monthly donations to my local masjid on a recurring plan. Can I count these contributions as zakāt?