Gold or silver — which nisab is better?
There are two nisabs: 85g of gold and 595g of silver. The rate is the same at 2.5%. The difference is the threshold at which zakat becomes due.
Side by side
| Gold | Silver | |
|---|---|---|
| Widely used nisab | 85 g pure | 595 g |
| Precise estimate | 87.48 g | 612.36 g |
| In tola | 7.29 | 51.01 |
| Rate | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Measured by | Pure weight | Net weight |
Which nisab is lower in value?
Silver is lower in value. Silver is much cheaper per gram than gold, so 595g of silver is worth less than 85g of gold. That means a lower threshold, which brings more people within the scope of zakat.
Values change daily. To see the current value of each nisab in AED, opentoday's nisab.
The views of the schools
| School | View on the nisab |
|---|---|
| Hanafi | Gold (and in one view: the lower of the two) |
| Maliki | The lower value of gold and silver |
| Shafi'i | Either; silver is more cautious as it is lower |
| Hanbali | Gold |
This is a matter of genuine disagreement, and the calculator defaults to the silver nisab as the lower and broader option. You can switch in the calculator.
Where the two nisabs come from
Both come from hadith. The nisab of silver is sixty-five mithqal, and the nisab of gold is twenty dinars, both reported in Sahih Muslim. The widely used figure of 85g of gold is an approximation of twenty dinars, and the precise 87.48g is based on 20 full mithqal.
If I only have gold
No problem. If you hold 85g of pure gold, zakat is due by consensus. If you hold less, no zakat is due, even if its value exceeds the silver nisab, because nisab is measured by weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is gold zakat the same as silver zakat?
The rate is identical at 2.5%. The difference is the nisab: 85 grams of pure gold versus 595 grams of silver. The two nisabs are independent, and each is compared on its own terms.
Which nisab is lower in value, gold or silver?
Silver by a wide margin. Because silver is far cheaper per gram, 595g of silver is worth much less than 85g of gold. That is why many scholars recommend the silver nisab, as it covers more people.
Should I use the gold nisab or the silver nisab?
Each school has a view. The Hanafi and Hanbali schools use the gold nisab, while the Maliki and Shafi‘i accept both. The easiest and broadest option is the silver nisab, as it is the lower one.
Why is the silver nisab 595g rather than 85g of gold?
Because the texts specify them separately. The silver nisab is sixty-five mithqal, about 595g, and the gold nisab is twenty dinars, about 85g. Both come from authentic hadith.
I only have gold and no silver. Is that a problem?
No. If you hold 85g of pure gold, zakat is due. If you hold less than that, no zakat is due, even if its cash value exceeds the silver nisab, because nisab is measured by weight.