🕌 Islamic
Zakat on Gold, Silver and Jewellery
Gold and silver are directly subject to zakat — but jewellery you wear is a point of genuine scholarly difference. Learn how to value your precious metals and work out the zakat due.
Updated 20 August 2026 · 2 min read
Gold and silver hold a special place in zakat: they were the basis of the original nisab, and they're directly zakatable in their own right. If you own precious metals — as coins, bars or jewellery — some or all of it may count towards your annual zakat. Here's how to handle it.
Investment gold and silver: clearly due
There's broad agreement that gold and silver held as wealth or investment — bullion, coins, bars — are subject to zakat at the usual 2.5%. You value them at their current market price, not what you paid, on your zakat date.
Jewellery: where scholars differ
The genuine point of difference is jewellery that a woman wears regularly for personal use. There are two main positions among the schools of thought:
- One view: worn gold and silver jewellery is exempt, treated like personal use items rather than stored wealth.
- Another view: all gold and silver is zakatable regardless of use, because the metals themselves are a form of wealth.
Both are held by respected scholars. Many people follow the more cautious position of paying on all their gold and silver; others follow a scholar or school that exempts worn jewellery. What matters is that you make an informed choice and apply it consistently. This is exactly the kind of question to put to a knowledgeable scholar.
Gemstones and other metals
Zakat on jewellery applies to the gold and silver content, not to diamonds, gemstones or other precious stones, which are generally not zakatable when held for personal use. Metals like platinum are treated differently again — the classical rulings are specifically about gold and silver. If a piece mixes materials, it's the gold and silver portion you're valuing.
Putting a figure on it
Weigh your gold and silver, find the current price per gram for the relevant purity, and multiply to get today's value. That value feeds into your overall zakatable wealth alongside cash and investments — see how to calculate zakat for the full picture, and understanding nisab for the threshold your total is measured against. The zakat calculator then applies the 2.5% rate.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I pay zakat on gold jewellery I wear?
- Scholars genuinely differ. One view exempts jewellery in regular personal use; another holds that all gold and silver is zakatable regardless of use. Many people take the cautious path of paying on everything, but you should follow an informed position — ideally with guidance from a knowledgeable scholar.
- How do I value my gold for zakat?
- Use the current market price for the metal's weight and purity on your zakat date, not the price you originally paid. Multiply the value of your gold and silver by 2.5% once your total zakatable wealth is above the nisab.
- Is there zakat on diamonds and gemstones?
- Generally no, when they're part of jewellery held for personal use. Zakat on jewellery applies to the gold and silver content; precious stones like diamonds are not zakatable in that case.