Zakat Guides

Zakat on Silver

By the Editorial Team · reviewed against our sources · updated September 2026 · guidance, not a fatwa

How much zakat do you pay on silver?

The zakat due on silver is 2.5% (one-fortieth) of its market value, paid once for each completed lunar year (hawl) you own it above the nisab. This rate is unanimous across the Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiʻi and Hanbali schools. Gold and silver were the two original monetary metals on which zakat was legislated, so the rules mirror those for gold closely. To calculate, you need the weight of your silver and the current silver price per gram; enter both into our zakat calculator or use the manual steps below.

What is the nisab for silver?

The silver nisab is 612.36 grams of pure silver, based on the classical measure of 200 dirhams. If the silver you own reaches or exceeds this weight and a lunar year passes, zakat is due on it. Because silver is far cheaper per gram than gold, the monetary value of the silver nisab is much lower than the gold nisab. This has an important practical consequence, explained next.

Why the silver nisab is often recommended

When someone owns only silver, they compare against the silver nisab of 612.36g. But most people own a mix of assets — cash, gold, silver and trade goods. In that case, contemporary scholars and zakat bodies generally recommend measuring your total wealth against the lower silver nisab rather than the higher gold nisab. The reasoning is charitable: a lower threshold means more people qualify to pay zakat, and more wealth reaches those entitled to receive it. Using the silver nisab is therefore the more cautious and more generous choice. Some individuals with only gold prefer the gold nisab; if you are unsure, using the silver nisab errs on the side of giving more. Our nisab guide shows the current monetary value of both.

How to value silver per gram

Weigh all the silver you are assessing in grams, then check its purity. Pure silver (often marked .999 or fine silver) is valued in full; sterling silver is 92.5% pure (marked 925), so only that fraction counts. The formula is:

Zakatable value = weight (g) × purity × silver price per gram × 0.025

Use the live silver price on your zakat due date. Silver prices are more volatile than gold in percentage terms, so the date matters. The alloy or non-silver content of an item is ignored — only the actual silver is valued.

Silver jewellery and the madhhab split

Silver jewellery is treated the same way as gold jewellery, and the schools differ in the same manner:

• Hanafi school: Zakat is due on all silver reaching nisab, including jewellery worn for personal use.
• Shafiʻi, Maliki and Hanbali schools: Silver jewellery worn for lawful personal adornment is generally exempt, but silver held as investment, hoarded, or in excessive quantity is zakatable.

As with gold, many who follow the majority view still pay on worn silver as a precaution, given the genuine scholarly disagreement. Follow your own madhhab or consult a scholar for your situation.

Silver coins, bars and bullion

Silver coins, bars and bullion are investment or store-of-value assets. They are zakatable at 2.5% of market value in all four schools, with no personal-use exemption, exactly like gold coins and bars. Collectible or numismatic coins are valued at their silver content unless their collector value is realisable and you intend to sell, in which case scholars may treat the higher value as trade goods.

Worked example

Suppose that on your zakat date you own 1,000 grams of sterling silver jewellery and coins, and you follow the Hanafi view (or choose to pay as a precaution). Assume an illustrative silver price of 0.80 per gram of pure silver.

First confirm the weight (1,000g) exceeds the 612.36g silver nisab — it does, so zakat is due. If your silver were below nisab but you also held cash or gold, you would add everything together and compare the total to the silver nisab value before applying 2.5%. See our step-by-step guide for combining assets.

When is zakat on silver due?

Zakat on silver is due after you have owned it at or above the nisab for one full lunar year. Set a single fixed zakat date each year and value your silver on that date using the current price. If your holding dropped below nisab briefly during the year but was above it at both the start and end, most scholars still count the year as complete.

Silverware, cutlery and household silver

Silver held as tableware, decorative items or a store of value is generally treated as zakatable wealth, because it is silver held rather than consumed. The schools that exempt personal-adornment jewellery do not necessarily extend that exemption to silver dishes, ornaments and bars kept as assets; several classical scholars considered excessive household silver and gold utensils discouraged in the first place. In practice, if you hold silverware primarily as wealth or investment rather than genuine daily use, the cautious approach is to include its silver value in your zakat calculation. Everyday utensils in normal use are viewed more leniently, but the safest position when in doubt is to assess and pay.

Mixed jewellery and gemstones

Many pieces combine silver with gemstones, pearls or other metals. Only the silver content is valued for zakat — gemstones and non-precious metals are not themselves zakatable unless you hold them as trade goods for sale. If you cannot easily separate the silver weight from the stones, a jeweller can usually estimate the metal content, or you can value the piece at a conservative silver weight. For pieces that mix silver and gold, value each metal separately: the gold at the gold price and the silver at the silver price, then apply 2.5% to the combined total once nisab is met.

Silver compared with gold in practice

Because the silver nisab is worth far less than the gold nisab, most people who own a mix of assets will cross the silver threshold long before the gold one. This is why the silver nisab tends to be the operative threshold for ordinary savers: it is the point at which zakat becomes due for the majority. If you own only a small amount of gold jewellery and modest savings, comparing your total against the silver nisab is usually what determines whether you pay this year. Keeping a note of both thresholds — and the current silver price — makes your annual calculation quick and repeatable.

Common questions and mistakes

• Valuing silver at what you paid rather than its current market price.
• Ignoring purity — paying on sterling as if it were fine silver.
• Forgetting that combining assets usually means using the silver nisab, which brings more people into the obligation.
• Overlooking silverware or cutlery held as an asset (as opposed to genuine everyday use), which some scholars treat as zakatable.

Once you have your total, confirm it with the zakat calculator on our homepage. If you also hold money, read zakat on cash, and for the wider obligation see what zakat is.

This is general guidance only, not a fatwa; rulings vary by madhhab; consult a qualified scholar for your situation.

Frequently asked questions