What is Nisab?

The Nisab was set by the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as the minimum amount of wealth that indicates genuine financial stability. Below the Nisab, a person is considered to have insufficient surplus wealth to be obligated to pay Zakat.

There are two Nisab thresholds — one based on gold (87.48g) and one based on silver (612.36g). Because silver prices are historically lower, the silver Nisab is usually a lower threshold in monetary terms. Many contemporary Islamic scholars recommend using the silver Nisab because it includes more Muslims in the obligation to pay Zakat, which benefits more poor people.

The Nisab value changes daily with gold and silver prices. A Muslim should check the current Nisab value at the beginning of their Hawl (the lunar year cycle of their wealth). Use ToolsDock's Zakat Calculator to determine your current Zakat obligation based on today's Nisab values.

Multiply the weight by the current price per gram in your own currency. The gold Nisab is 87.48 grams and the silver Nisab is 612.36 grams. If silver is priced at ₹100 a gram, the silver Nisab is about ₹61,236. Use the live price from a trusted local source on the day you calculate, since the figure moves daily.

Gold and silver prices differ enormously in relation to each other, so the two thresholds differ by a wide margin. The Nisab Calculator shows both so you can see them side by side.

Scholars have discussed this for a long time. Some, citing the original ratio between gold and silver coins, hold that gold is the benchmark for money and savings. Many contemporary scholars and Islamic institutions advise the silver Nisab for cash and savings because it is lower, which protects the interests of the poor and captures more people in the obligation.

For gold held on its own, the gold Nisab applies. Where your own scholar or local institution has given guidance, follow it. This page explains the usual positions and is not a fatwa.

Nisab is only half of the test. The wealth must stay at or above the threshold for a full lunar year, called the Hawl. If your savings fall below Nisab during the year, the clock generally restarts when they cross the threshold again. Many people choose a fixed annual date, such as 1 Ramadan, to calculate and pay.

Once both conditions are met, the rate is 2.5% of the zakatable total. See what is Zakat for which assets count and who can receive it.