Zakat on Gold and the Nisab in 2026: How to Calculate It
Zakat is 2.5% of your zakatable wealth once it has stayed at or above the nisab for a full lunar year. The nisab is the value of a set weight of gold or silver: 87.48 g of gold or 612.36 g of silver (7.5 and 52.5 tola), or 85 g / 595 g by another widely used measure.
Gold or silver nisab?
Silver is far cheaper than gold, so the silver nisab is much lower and more people reach it. Islamic Relief notes that the Hanafi school uses silver and the other schools use gold, and that in most cases scholars recommend the silver value. Follow your own scholar; the Zakat Calculator shows both thresholds once you enter both prices.
| Measure | Gold | Silver |
|---|---|---|
| Tola measure (common in South Asia) | 7.5 tola = 87.48 g | 52.5 tola = 612.36 g |
| Metric measure (used by many charities) | 85 g | 595 g |
Valuing gold by karat
Zakat is due on the gold content. Multiply the weight by the 24-karat price per gram and by karat ÷ 24: 22 karat = 91.7%, 21 karat = 87.5%, 18 karat = 75%. Example: 20 g of 22-karat gold at a 24-karat price of 25,000 per gram = 20 × 25,000 × 22 ÷ 24 = 458,333.
Worked example
- Cash at home 100,000 + bank 400,000 + gold above 458,333 = 958,333
- Less debts due now: 50,000 → zakatable wealth 908,333
- Silver nisab at 250 per gram: 612.36 × 250 = 153,090 → above the nisab
- Zakat = 2.5% × 908,333 = 22,708
What usually counts
| Counts | Usually not counted |
|---|---|
| Cash, bank and savings balances | Your home |
| Gold and silver (by weight and purity) | Your car and personal belongings |
| Shares, funds and crypto (market value) | Tools and equipment you work with |
| Business stock for sale; money owed to you that you expect back | Debts you cannot expect to recover |