Zakat on gold is one of the most searched fiqh questions in Pakistan every Ramadan — and one of the most miscalculated. Between changing sarafa rates, two different nisab thresholds and the long-running debate about everyday jewellery, it is easy to pay too little or worry too much. This 2026 guide walks through the rules step by step, with a worked example in rupees.

The Nisab: 87.48 g of Gold vs 612.36 g of Silver

Zakat only becomes due when your zakatable wealth stays above the nisab for one full lunar year. There are two accepted thresholds: the gold nisab of 87.48 grams and the silver nisab of 612.36 grams. Most scholars in Pakistan recommend calculating with the silver nisab, because it is the lower threshold in rupee terms and therefore the more conservative option — more wealth ends up eligible for Zakat, which benefits the poor. To apply it, multiply 612.36 by today's silver rate from your local sarafa bazaar; if your net wealth exceeds that value, Zakat is due.

The Rate: A Flat 2.5% After One Lunar Year

Zakat is charged at a flat 2.5% — one-fortieth — of your net zakatable wealth, provided it has been in your possession for one complete lunar year (hawl). Net wealth means everything zakatable added up and immediate debts subtracted: cash, bank balances, the current market value of your gold and silver, investments, business stock and money people owe you, minus loans and bills due now. Many families time payment with Ramadan, but the obligation actually begins the day your hawl completes, so it pays to calculate early.

Do You Pay Zakat on Jewellery You Wear Daily?

This is where opinions differ. The Hanafi school, followed by most Muslims in Pakistan, holds that all gold and silver jewellery is zakatable — whether locked in a locker or worn every day. Other scholars exempt personal-use jewellery as long as its value stays below nisab. Many households take the cautious route and include everything. Whichever view your family follows, valuation is done at today's market rate, not what you paid at the shop years ago — gold prices have moved sharply, so the value you declare should reflect the current sarafa bazaar rate for the weight you own.

Worked Example: 10 Tola of Gold

Suppose Ayesha owns 10 tola of gold jewellery. One tola equals 11.6638 grams, so her total weight is 116.64 grams — comfortably above the 87.48-gram gold nisab (about 1.3 times over it). At a market rate of Rs. 233,276 per tola, her gold is worth Rs. 2,332,760. Zakat at 2.5% works out to Rs. 58,319 for the year. If she also holds Rs. 300,000 in cash and savings, that amount is added to the base before applying the same 2.5% rate, and any immediate debts are subtracted first.

Let the Tools Do the Maths

Instead of computing this by hand, run your figures through the free Zakat calculator on DigitalKasur — it supports the silver, gold and custom nisab, walks through every zakatable category and subtracts your debts automatically. Not sure what your jewellery is worth at today's rate? The gold calculator converts any weight in tola or grams across 24K, 22K, 21K and 18K purities, with making charges shown separately.

Conclusion

Zakat on gold comes down to three checks: confirm your wealth has crossed nisab for a full lunar year, value your gold at the current market rate, and pay 2.5% of the net total. DigitalKasur builds these free calculators alongside its website development and digital marketing services for Pakistani businesses — so the same site that helps you purify your wealth can help you grow your livelihood.