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Are sheep and camels that have reached the niṣāb and upon which a ḥawl has passed, and which eat from cultivated grasses and for which food is purchased at the owner's expense, and for which care costs are paid, considered sāʾimah or not?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There is no zakat on livestock (Bahīmat al-Anʿām) that are fed and not free-grazing, according to the majority of scholars, unless they are intended for trade. There is a disagreement regarding whether animals that graze on privately owned fodder are considered free-grazing (sāʾimah) or fed (maʿlūfah). Some hold that they are free-grazing if the cost of the fodder is negligible, while others consider them fed if there is a cost incurred for their growth. If the owner buys or cultivates fodder for the livestock, there is no zakat on them due to the absence of free-grazing. Therefore, zakat is not obligatory on your camels and sheep as long as they remain in this state. However, paying zakat as a precautionary measure and to avoid disagreement is considered good and recommended.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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