In short: nisab = 87.48 g of gold or 612.36 g of silver (7.5 and 52.5 tola). Own that much wealth for a lunar year → pay 2.5% zakat. Calculate your zakat free →

Gold nisab vs silver nisab

MeasureThresholdIn tola
🥇 Gold87.48 grams7.5 tola
🥈 Silver612.36 grams52.5 tola

Both thresholds come from the classical sources, so both are valid. In practice the silver nisab is much lower in monetary terms — many contemporary scholars recommend it, because it brings more people into paying zakat and directs more help to those who need it. To use either one, multiply the weight by the current market price of gold or silver on the day you calculate.

What counts toward nisab?

  • 💵 Cash and bank savings — including foreign currency holdings
  • 🥇 Gold and silver — jewellery, coins and bullion (scholars differ on personal-use jewellery; many include it)
  • 🏪 Trade goods and business inventory — valued at current market price
  • 📈 Investments — shares, funds and crypto held as wealth

Your home, car, furniture and personal items don't count. Immediate debts (rent due, bills, short-term loans) are subtracted before you compare against nisab.

The lunar year (hawl)

Reaching nisab once isn't quite enough — the wealth must remain at or above nisab for one lunar year (about 354 days). Many people pick a fixed date, often in Ramadan, to assess their wealth each year. Because the Islamic year is shorter than the solar year, your zakat date moves about 11 days earlier annually on the Gregorian calendar.

❓ Nisab FAQs

What is the nisab for zakat in 2026?

87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver. Multiply by the current price of gold or silver to get the monetary threshold in your currency.

Should I use the gold or silver nisab?

Both are classically valid. Many scholars today recommend the silver nisab since it is lower — more people pay, more recipients benefit.

How much zakat do I pay above nisab?

2.5% of qualifying wealth held for one lunar year, after subtracting immediate debts.

Does nisab apply to my salary?

Not directly. What matters is the wealth you still hold — savings, gold, investments — when a lunar year has passed and it reaches nisab.

Related: What Is the Hijri Calendar? · What Is the Qibla? · Free Zakat Calculator

This is general educational information, not religious edict (fatwa). Practices vary between schools of thought — consult a qualified scholar for your situation.