Zakat
Q1) Do I have to only give zakat on the cash that I have in my bank account or do I have to give zakat on the value of all of my assets. For example, if a person doesn’t have a job but they do own shares and the value of all of there shares is more than the nisaab then do they have to pay 2.5% on the value of all there shares and if so then they would have to sell some of there shares to be able to get the 2.5% value of there shares in cash to be able to pay the zakat.
Answer
Assalāmuʿalaykum Wa Raḥmatullāhi Wa Barakātuh
Zakat is due when one possesses the minimal Nisāb for a complete lunar year.
All Zakātable assets, including one’s shares, will be valued together and 2.5% of that value will be discharged.
This is irrespective of whether one is employed or not.
If one is not liquid, then a person may either sell some of those shares to discharge his Zakāt or he may pay his Zakāt over a reasonable period of time without unnecessary delay.