How to Calculate Zakat in Pakistan — Simple Guide
Published: 23 October 2026 · Updated: 30 October 2026
Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam: every year you give 2.5% of your wealth to those who have a right to it. Many people want to pay zakat but are afraid of the calculation — yet the calculation is simple. Everything in this guide is in easy words.
What is the nisab?
The nisab is the minimum wealth above which zakat becomes obligatory. It is measured against gold or silver:
- Gold nisab: 7.5 tola (87.48 grams) of gold. At the 23 October 2026 rate (Rs 426,500/tola) this is Rs 3,198,750.
- Silver nisab: 52.5 tola (612.36 grams) of silver. At the same date's rate (Rs 6,086/tola) this is about Rs 319,515.
- Bank nisab: For the zakat year 1446-47 the government set the bank-deduction nisab at Rs 503,529 (Ministry of Poverty Alleviation, 16 Feb 2026; SBP circular). This applies only to automatic bank deduction.
When wealth is a mix of gold, silver and cash, most scholars in Pakistan use the silver nisab, because it is lower — more people pay zakat and more deserving people benefit.
What is zakat charged on?
- Cash — at home or in the bank
- Gold and silver — jewellery or bars/coins
- Business goods (shop stock)
- Shares and investments held for selling
- A loan you gave that you expect to be repaid
Zakat is not charged on: the house you live in, the clothes you wear, household items, your personal car/bike — these are things of daily use.
Step-by-step calculation
- Add up all your cash (bank + home).
- Weigh your gold in tola and value it at today's rate.
- Do the same for silver.
- Add business goods and investments.
- Subtract the debts that you have to pay.
- If the total is above the nisab and a lunar year (hawl) has passed over it, zakat is 2.5% of the total.
An example
Ahmed has: Rs 400,000 in the bank, Rs 50,000 cash at home, 3 tola gold (3 × 426,500 = Rs 1,279,500), and a debt of Rs 100,000 to pay. Total = 400,000 + 50,000 + 1,279,500 − 100,000 = Rs 1,629,500. This is above the silver nisab (Rs 319,515), so zakat = 1,629,500 × 2.5% = Rs 40,738.
The PakRoz Zakat Calculator above does this same calculation in seconds. Even so, for your specific circumstances (for example jewellery in use), confirming with a trusted scholar is best.