Question:
Can an overpayment of Zakat be considered an advance payment for subsequent years?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The Answer:
The excess in a Zakat overpayment can be considered to be an advance payment for the forthcoming year/s[i].
And Allah Ta’ālā Alone Knows Best
Mufti Faraz Adam,
www.darulfiqh.com
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[i]
“وفى الولوالجية : لو كان عنده أربعمائة درهم فأدى زكاة خمسمائة ظانا أنها كذلك كان له أن يحسب الزيادة للسنة الثانية لأنه أمكن أن يعجل الزيادة تعجيلا. اهـ .وقيد فى البحر بكون الجنس متحدا قال: لأنه لو كان له خمس من الإبل وأربعون من الغنم فعجل شاة عن أحد الصنفين ثم هلك لا يكون عن الآخر. ولو كان له عين ودين فعجل عن العين فهلكت قبل الحول جاز عن الدين ، ولو بعده فلا ، والدراهم والدنانير وعروض التجارة جنس واحد.” – حاشية ابن عابدين ج 2 ص 293