Calculate zakat Pakistan: add up your zakatable wealth, check it against nisab, and pay 2.5% on the amount that qualifies. This guide explains each step in plain language, with Pakistan-relevant examples in PKR, so you can work out your Zakat confidently before you pay it.
What Zakat Is and Who Pays It
Zakat is an annual obligatory payment for Muslims whose wealth reaches nisab and has been held for one lunar year. It is not a voluntary donation and it is not the same as income tax. It is calculated on wealth you own, such as cash, bank balances, gold, silver and trade goods, rather than on your monthly salary alone.
If your total zakatable wealth is below nisab, you do not owe Zakat for that year. If it reaches or exceeds nisab, Zakat is generally 2.5% of the qualifying amount. When you are unsure about a complex case, such as business assets, debts or jointly owned wealth, check with a knowledgeable scholar as well as using a calculator.
What Nisab Means in Pakistan
Nisab is the minimum threshold of wealth above which Zakat becomes due. It is traditionally set by reference to 87.48 grams of gold or 612.36 grams of silver. In practice, many people in Pakistan use the silver nisab because it is lower, so more people qualify, but you should follow the method you are advised to use and apply it consistently.
Because gold and silver prices change, the nisab value in PKR also changes. Always value your gold and silver at the market price on your Zakat date, not at the price you paid years ago. Do not use an old purchase price, a guessed price or a price from another country without converting it properly.
How to Calculate Zakat on Cash and Bank Balances
Start with all cash in hand, money in current and savings accounts, and any money owed to you that you expect to receive. Add these together. Then deduct immediate debts that are due, such as a loan instalment or an amount you must repay straight away. The remaining figure is part of your zakatable total.
Worked example: if you have PKR 200,000 in cash and PKR 800,000 in bank accounts, your total is PKR 1,000,000. If that amount is at or above nisab and has been held for a lunar year, Zakat at 2.5% is PKR 25,000. The calculation is simply 1,000,000 x 0.025 = 25,000.
How to Calculate Zakat on Gold
For gold, first weigh what you own. Jewellery kept for personal use is treated differently by different scholars, so if you are unsure, ask a scholar about your own situation. Gold held as an investment, for resale or as savings is normally included at its current market value.
Multiply the weight in grams by the current market price per gram in Pakistan on your Zakat date. For illustration only, 100 grams at PKR 25,000 per gram is worth PKR 2,500,000, and 2.5% of that is PKR 62,500. Replace the illustrative price with the actual price on the day you calculate.
How to Calculate Zakat on Silver
Silver is calculated in the same way as gold: weight multiplied by the current price per gram. Silver utensils, coins, bars and jewellery held as wealth are normally included, subject to the same personal-use question noted above for gold.
For illustration only, 800 grams of silver at PKR 3,000 per gram is worth PKR 2,400,000, and 2.5% of that is PKR 60,000. Again, use the market price on your Zakat date, because a small change in the silver price can change the total noticeably.
A Combined Worked Example in PKR
Most people need to combine assets. Suppose you have PKR 400,000 in cash and bank balances, gold worth PKR 900,000 and silver worth PKR 300,000. Your zakatable total is PKR 1,600,000. At 2.5%, your Zakat is PKR 40,000, calculated as 1,600,000 x 0.025.
Keep a simple note of each figure, the price you used for gold and silver, and the date. That makes next year’s calculation much easier and helps you explain the payment if anyone asks how you reached the amount.
How to Use PakPro’s Free Zakat Calculator
Once you have your cash, gold and silver values, you can check the maths quickly with PakPro’s free Zakat Calculator. Enter your cash and bank balance, the value of your gold and silver, and any other zakatable assets, and it will estimate 2.5% for you. It is free and needs no sign-up.
Remember that Zakat is separate from income tax. If you also want to estimate tax on a salary in Pakistan, use PakPro’s Salary Tax Calculator Pakistan 2026-27 for that separate calculation, and do not mix the two figures.
To calculate zakat in Pakistan correctly, use current prices, include all zakatable wealth, deduct only genuine immediate debts, and pay 2.5% when your total reaches nisab. Start with the worked examples above, then confirm your total with the free Zakat Calculator.