Agricultural zakat is the form of zakat mentioned earliest in the Quran. Allah commanded it directly in the context of the harvest. This guide summarises its scriptural evidence, the nisab of 5 wasaq, and the important difference in rates between irrigated and rain-fed farming.
The Scriptural Basis for Agricultural Zakat
From the Quran
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَّعْرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَاتٍ ... وَآتُوا حَقَّهُ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِ
"And it is He who produced gardens... and pay its due on the day of its harvest." (Source: QS. Al-An'am: 141)
The phrase "wa aatuu haqqahu yawma hashaadih" establishes that agricultural zakat does not wait for the haul — it is paid immediately at harvest. This distinguishes it from zakat maal.
"O you who believe, spend from the good things you have earned and from what We have produced for you from the earth." (Source: QS. Al-Baqarah: 267)
From Authenticated Hadith
لَيْسَ فِيمَا دُونَ خَمْسَةِ أَوْسُقٍ صَدَقَةٌ — "There is no zakat on agricultural produce less than five wasaq." (Source: HR. Bukhari no. 1405, Muslim no. 979)
فِيمَا سَقَتِ السَّمَاءُ وَالْعُيُونُ أَوْ كَانَ عَثَرِيًّا الْعُشْرُ، وَفِيمَا سُقِيَ بِالنَّضْحِ نِصْفُ الْعُشْرِ
"On crops watered by rain or natural springs, the zakat is one-tenth (10%). On crops irrigated by effort and expense, the zakat is 5%." (Source: HR. Bukhari no. 1483)
Understanding of the Salaf Scholars
- Imam Ibn Qudamah (Al-Mughni): Five wasaq = 300 sha' = approximately 653 kilograms of unhusked grain. This is the agreed nisab for agricultural zakat.
- Imam Al-Nawawi (Al-Majmu'): Agricultural zakat has no haul condition. Once the harvest exceeds the nisab, zakat is immediately obligatory.
- Imam Ibn Taymiyya (Majmu' Fatawa): Scholars unanimously agree on zakat for staple food crops — rice, wheat, maize, and dates.
Nisab and Rates for Agricultural Zakat
- Nisab: 5 wasaq = 653 kg of unhusked grain, or approximately 520 kg of clean rice
- Rain-fed rate: 10% of net harvest
- Paid irrigation rate: 5% of net harvest
- Mixed method rate: 7.5% of net harvest
Unlike all other types of zakat, agricultural zakat has no haul requirement. Pay at every harvest — not once a year.
Key difference
Simulation: Rice Farmer with a 2-Tonne Harvest
- Harvest: 2,000 kg of unhusked rice → exceeds nisab of 653 kg
- Paid irrigation system → rate 5%
- Zakat: 5% × 2,000 kg = 100 kg of unhusked rice (≈ IDR 550,000)
Calculate Your Agricultural Zakat Now
→ Agricultural zakat calculator at kontroluang.com/kalkulator/zakat-pertanian
Written by
Aaqil Umais ZabirFinancial education writer at Kontrol Uang
Aaqil Umais Zabir writes personal finance guides for Kontrol Uang, focusing on budgeting, transaction tracking, zakat, and practical everyday financial decisions for Indonesian readers.
