Is zakat obligatory on the tenant for the security deposit he pays to the landlord and gets back at the end of the contract?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The amount that a tenant pays in advance to the landlord as security or a deposit: scholars have differed concerning its into three opinions:
1. First opinion: Zakat is not obligatory upon the tenant due to the lack of complete ownership. 2. Second opinion: Zakat is obligatory upon the tenant because it remains his property, and this is the most accurate view. 3. Third opinion: Zakat is not obligatory upon either party.
The preponderant opinion is that zakat is obligatory upon the tenant, because it resembles a pledge, and a pledge does not cease to be the property of its owner.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/167221
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 167221
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy