Question
If a person has debt and his creditors have not stipulated a date for payment, is it Waajib for him to make Qurbaani or is it Waajib to use money to pay the debt?
Answer
If a person has less than the Nisaab after deducting the debt amount from his assets then Qurbani will not be Waajib upon him.
However, if a person is not paying the debt immediately (during the days of Qurbani)due to it being a long term debt and he is therefore left with the Nisaab (during the days of Qurbani), then Qurbani will be Waajib upon him. Yes, if it is a current debt that is due immediately (during the days of Qurbani) and after subtracting this amount he is left with less than the Nisaab, then Qurbani will not be Waajib upon him.
Also, with regard to the Nisaab of Qurbani, the following should be taken into consideration:
If a person has an additional home, or an additional piece of land, or additional vehicles over and above his basic vehicle (which is a necessity), whether these additional assets are for business or not, then these additional assets will also be included in one’s Nisaab. Similarly, if a person owns devices of entertainment such as a television set, DVD, additional cellphone, etc. which is not considered as one’s basic needs and necessities then the value of these items will also be included in the Nisaab of Qurbani.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
وَلَوْ كان عليه دَيْنٌ بِحَيْثُ لو صَرَفَ إِلَيْهِ بَعْضَ نِصَابِهِ لَا يَنْقُصُ نِصَابُهُ لَا تَجِبُ لِأَنَّ الدَّيْنَ يَمْنَعُ وُجُوبَ الزَّكَاةِ فَلَأَنْ يَمْنَعَ وُجُوبَ الْأَضْحِيَّةَ أَوْلَى لِأَنَّ الزَّكَاةَ فَرْضٌ وَالْأَضْحِيَّةَ وَاجِبَةٌ وَالْفَرْضُ فَوْقَ الْوَاجِبِ
(بدائع الصنائع ص ٦٤ ج ٥)
نصاب سے قرض وضع کرنے کے بعد اگر نصاب میں نقص نہیں آتا، نصاب کامل باقی رہتا تو قربانی واجب ہے ورنہ نہیں
(احسن الفتاوی ص ۷ ۵۰ ج ۷)
Fataawa Darul Uloom Zakariyya Pg.308 Vol.6