On October 24, 2025, a new fatwa on zakat was issued by the religious authorities. Unprecedented in scope, it updates and unifies the rules of obligatory almsgiving in a dense doctrinal text covering all forms of wealth recognized by Sharia. This text fills a normative gap by precisely defining the amounts, categories of assets, thresholds of liability, and conditions of obligation. It is both a spiritual and legal document that restores to zakat its social and economic weight in the life of the believer and in community organization.

The fatwa opens with a reminder of the moral and religious purpose of zakat. It emphasizes that this duty is both “an act of obedience and an instrument for the purification of wealth and souls.” The almsgiving, it reads, “protects society against greed, restores the balance between wealth and solidarity, and helps ease social tensions by promoting redistribution.” The text also evokes the believer’s responsibility toward their community and reminds that “refusing to fulfill it constitutes an offense against the social justice willed by God.”

The objective of the fatwa is explicit: to define a unified framework for zakat practices in Morocco and to avoid differences in interpretation. It also aims to facilitate the fulfillment of this duty for the faithful by providing quantified, precise benchmarks aligned with contemporary economic realities. In this sense, the text represents a turning point in the way zakat is approached, no longer limited to general prescriptions but establishing a true reference code.

Setting precise thresholds for the first time and integrating all economic sectors, the new fatwa on zakat redefines the rules of almsgiving in Morocco, balancing spiritual duty with legal rigor.

𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑦 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔… pic.twitter.com/8HQhG4PLSv

— TelQuel (@TelQuelOfficiel) November 5, 2025

The thresholds and amounts of liability

The text sets exact thresholds, or nissab, for each type of asset subject to zakat. It first determines the measure applicable to gold and silver, in accordance with prophetic tradition. The threshold for gold is set at 85 grams, equivalent to about 68,000 dirhams. For silver, it is established at 595 grams, corresponding to about 7,438 dirhams. When the believer possesses a value exceeding these amounts for a full lunar year, they are required to pay 2.5% as zakat.

Regarding agricultural products, the fatwa establishes distinctions based on irrigation conditions. When crops come from natural irrigation, the portion due amounts to 10%. If they rely on artificial irrigation, the zakat is reduced to 5%. The triggering threshold is set at about 653 kilograms of grains or dried fruits. The text states that these measures also apply to agricultural products from irrigated crops, orchards, or other forms of plant production, as long as the volume exceeds the prescribed minimum quantity.

The fatwa also introduces detailed regulations for livestock. It sets precise tiers according to species and number of heads. The obligation begins at 40 sheep or ewes, 30 cows or camels depending on the case, and increases gradually as the herd grows. Each category of animals has its own scale, specified in the text, ranging from a few units to more than a hundred. This level of precision, absent from previous rulings, aims to “standardize breeders’ practices and avoid any approximation in calculating the amounts due,” according to the fatwa.

The new economic categories concerned

One of the major contributions of the fatwa lies in the expansion of assets and income subject to zakat. It specifies that the obligation no longer applies only to harvests and livestock, but extends to all forms of productive wealth. Commercial, industrial, and artisanal activities are explicitly mentioned. Any capital or profit generated by these sectors is subject to zakat once it reaches the established threshold and a full lunar year has passed.

The text addresses in detail the situation of liberal professions and service providers. Doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, artisans, as well as technical or intellectual service providers, are now required to calculate their zakat based on their net annual income. The portion due remains set at 2.5% of the amount available at the end of the cycle. This inclusion marks “a clear recognition of the diversity of contemporary sources of income and of the principle of equity among the different sectors of the economy.”

The fatwa also mentions the case of industrial enterprises, production activities, and service companies. It specifies that profits earned at the close of the annual fiscal year, whether from a factory, a firm, or a commercial activity, fall within the scope of zakat. In this sense, it puts an end to a long-debated gray area among jurists by fully integrating the modern economy into the jurisprudence of almsgiving.

Debts, claims, and conditions of obligation

The text gives particular attention to debts and claims, a subject often neglected in previous rulings. It distinguishes between certain debts, whose repayment is assured, and those that are uncertain or doubtful. Zakat becomes obligatory on sums that the creditor can actually collect. Conversely, it does not apply to debts whose repayment remains hypothetical as long as they have not been recovered. This distinction aims to prevent the believer from being taxed on assets that are nonexistent or inaccessible.

Concerning the conditions of obligation, the fatwa recalls the principle of the complete lunar cycle, an essential condition for the obligation of zakat. For durable assets such as gold, silver, or cash, zakat becomes due at the end of the lunar year, provided that the wealth has remained above the threshold throughout the period. For agricultural products, it is due at the time of harvest, while for livestock, it is calculated based on the stability of the herd during the year.

The text also emphasizes the importance of sincerity in intention and adherence to the religious calendar. It recommends fulfilling zakat as soon as it becomes due, without delay, in order to preserve its moral and social impact. By insisting on the rigor of the conditions and deadlines, the fatwa seeks to root the practice in a “stronger spiritual and communal discipline.”

The beneficiaries and the social purpose

The fatwa dedicates its final section to the allocation of zakat, referring to the Quranic verse from Surah At-Tawba that lists the eight categories of beneficiaries. These include the poor, the needy, the collectors in charge of its distribution, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, slaves seeking emancipation, debtors, travelers in difficulty, and those who strive for the cause of God. The text recalls that this “distribution is of divine origin and that no human modification can alter its scope.”

It specifies that zakat must not be diverted from its purpose or used to serve private or political interests. It must benefit exclusively the designated categories, in accordance with justice and transparency. The text further emphasizes that the distribution of zakat constitutes a collective responsibility, binding the conscience of the giver as much as that of the community.

Written in French by Younes Saoury, edited in English by Eric Nielson