Question
Kindly enlighten on the importance of zakaat on livestock. Also, explain in detail the zakaah of cattle sheep goats and wild game. It would really be appreciated if mufti sahaab could draw up a table that could be used for the calculations of the the zakaah of the different categories of livestock.
Answer
Zakaat is amongst the most fundamental obligations of Islam. Zakaat on livestock also forms an integral part of the collection of laws that we are bound with. Discharging the zakaat of other zakaatable assets and falling short with regards to zakaat on livestock results in one’s zakaat not being fully discharged. This is a grave sin and every effort should be made for this not to happen. The monetary zakaat which is held back and not given will be made blazing in the fire of Jahannam and the culprit will be branded with it on the day of Qiyaamat. There are different punishments that we are informed of regarding someone who holds zakat on livestock back. This is sufficient to show the seriousness of the sin!
Zakaat on Livestock
If the animals have been kept for breeding purposes, zakaat will be compulsory on the condition that they have been in the possession of the farmer for a lunar year, they spend the major part of the year grazing in natural grazing grounds and their numbers amount to the nisaab of zakaat for that particular animal.
On the other hand, if the animals have been bought for reselling, then they will be regarded as trading stock and 2.5% of its market value will have to be paid as zakaat, whether they are only one in number or more and whether they graze from the natural fields or fodder is purchased to feed them.
As for animals kept for household and farming activities and are neither for breeding nor for resale, there will not be any zakaat on them. Similar is the ruling with regards to animals purchased for the sake of Qurbani and Aqeeqah.
Zakaat on Wild Game
There is no zakaat on wild game which is kept on a farm for breeding purposes, unlike livestock. However if the wild game is purchased with the intention of resale, then it will be treated as regular trade merchandise and 2.5% zakaat would be discharged on the value of the animal, regardless of their number and grazing habits.
Zakaat Tables:
| Number of Goat/Sheep | Zakaat |
| 0-39 | 0 goat/sheep |
| 40-120 | 1 goat/sheep |
| 121-200 | 2 goat/sheep |
| 201-300 | 3 goat/sheep |
| 301-400 | 4 goat/sheep |
| 401-500 | 5 goat/sheep |
| For every hundred above 500 | Add another one |
Note: As far as cattle is concerned, on every 30, a one year old will be given as zakaat and on every 40, a two year old will be given as zakaat. For every bigger amount, the zakaat will be how many multiples of 30 and/or 40 can fit in, as shown in the table below.
| Number of Cattle | Zakaat | Zakaat |
| 0-29 | nothing | |
| 30-39 | 1 x (one year old) | |
| 40-59 | 1 x (two years old) | |
| 60-69 | 2 x (one year old) | |
| 70-79 | 1 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) | |
| 80-89 | 2 x (two years old) | |
| 90-99 | 3 x (one year old) | |
| 100-109 | 2 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) | |
| 110-119 | 1 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) | |
| 120-129 | Either 4 x (one year old) | Or 3 x (two years old) |
| 130-139 | 3 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) | |
| 140-149 | 2 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) | |
| 150-159 | 1 x (one year old) + 3 x (two years old) | 5 x (one year old) |
| 160-169 | 4 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) | 4 x (two years old) |
| 170-179 | 3 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) | |
| 180-189 | 2 x (one year old) + 3 x (two years old) | 6 x (one year old) |
| 190-199 | 1 x (one year old) + 4 x (two years old) | 5 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) |
| 200-209 | 4 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) | 5 x (two years old) |
| 210-219 | 3 x (one year old) + 3 x (two years old) | 7 x (one year old) |
| 220-229 | 2 x (one year old) + 4 x (two years old) | 6 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) |
| 230-239 | 1 x (one year old) + 5 x (two years old) | 5 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) |
| 240-249 | 8 x (one year old) | 6 x (two years old) |
| 250-259 | 7 x (one year old) + 1 x (two years old) | 3 x (one year old) + 4 x (two years old) |
| 260-269 | 6 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) | 2 x (one year old) + 5 x (two years old) |
| 270-279 | 5 x (one year old) + 3 x (two years old) | 9 x (one year old) |
| 280-289 | 4 x (one year old) + 4 x (two years old) | 7 x (two years old) |
| 290-299 | 3 x (one year old) + 5 x (two years old) | 7 x (one year old) + 2 x (two years old) |
| 300-309 | 2 x (one year old) + 6 x (two years old) | 6 x (one year old) + 3 x (two years old) |
Note: Bigger numbers will incur calculations in the same light. Please feel free to contact us in case of a larger number whereby you may need confirmation on the calculations.
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
الرد المحتار ج٢ ص ٢٧٥ – ٢٩٥ – سعيد
البحر الرائق ج٢ ص ٢١٣ – ٢٢٥ – المكتبة الماجدية
الفتاوى الهندية جا ص١٧٥-١٧٨ مكتبه ماجديه