Zakat vs Khums: how do they differ?
Zakat and Khums are two different obligations — this is a neutral overview of how they compare, pointing each reader to their own authority.
Zakat and Khums are distinct financial obligations. This calculator and its guides follow Sunni jurisprudence, where Zakat is 2.5% on qualifying wealth above Nisab. Khums — a one-fifth (20%) obligation with its own rules — features prominently in Shia (Ja'fari) practice. If you follow a tradition that observes Khums, consult a qualified authority in that tradition.
Not the same thing.
Zakat and Khums are different obligations, with different rates, bases and scholarly traditions. Zakat, as covered throughout this site, is a 2.5% charge on qualifying wealth held above Nisab for a lunar year. Khums is a separate obligation — literally 'one fifth', or 20% — applied on a different basis and prominent in Shia (Ja'fari) practice.
This site's guidance follows Sunni jurisprudence. It explains Zakat, not the detailed rules of Khums.
Follow your own authority.
The rules of Khums — what it applies to, how surplus is assessed, and how it is distributed — are defined within the traditions that observe it, and are best explained by qualified authorities in those traditions. Rather than summarise them imperfectly, we point readers who follow such a tradition to their own scholars.
Zakat, clearly.
If Zakat is the obligation you are calculating, our guides and calculator are built for exactly that: the 2.5% rate, the gold and silver Nisab, and the range of assets involved. For Khums, please consult a qualified authority in the tradition you follow.
Questions people ask.
What is the difference between Zakat and Khums?+
They are distinct obligations. Zakat is 2.5% on qualifying wealth above Nisab in Sunni jurisprudence. Khums is a separate one-fifth (20%) obligation prominent in Shia (Ja'fari) practice, applied on a different basis.
Does this calculator handle Khums?+
No. This site's guidance follows Sunni jurisprudence and covers Zakat. If you follow a tradition that observes Khums, please consult a qualified authority in that tradition.
Do I pay both Zakat and Khums?+
That depends on the tradition you follow, which defines which obligations apply and how. Consult a qualified authority in your own tradition for guidance specific to you.
Use the private calculator.
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