Zakat On Rent And Business Income
We first establish the principle, then apply it, and finally consider any exemptions. This is the standard approach in every field of knowledge. What makes crops subject to Zakat? Why is there a difference in the Zakat rate between produce from arid land and irrigated land? In the case of arid land, the Zakat rate is 10%, whereas for irrigated land, it is 5%. The reason is clear: arid land requires no irrigation, no additional effort—only the investment of seeds. But what if there is effort without financial investment? Should the same principle not apply? Once the principle and its applications are understood, the absence of explicit evidence does not change the validity of the ruling. Furthermore, the governmetn has the right to exempt certain things from Zakat. This is why the Prophet (PBUH) did not enforce Zakat on hired services or rental income