Zakat On Inheritance

Question

I was due inheritance after a family member’s death. However, the money stayed in the lawyer’s account for four years for legal reasons. Now the money has been deposited in my account. Do I have to back-date the amount and pay for the past four years? If yes, how do I calculate it?

Answer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

You do not have to back-date it. Inheritance falls under the category of a ‘weak debt’ in the Ḥanafī madh-hab. This means that calculations for zakāt begin only after the inheritance comes into your possession. You do not need to pay zakāt before it comes into your possession, nor do you have to back-date it after it comes into your possession.[1]

And Allah knows best

Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad

[1]  قال الكاساني (المتوفى سنة 587هـ): وأما الدين الضعيف فهو الذي وجب له بدلا عن شيء سواء وجب له بغير صنعه كالميراث، أو بصنعه كما لوصية، أو وجب بدلا عما ليس بمال كالمهر، وبدل الخلع، والصلح عن القصاص، وبدل الكتابة، ولا زكاة فيه ما لم يقبض كله ويحول عليه الحول بعد القبض (بدائع الصنائع: 2/10)