Back to search

What are the rulings regarding the zakat on olives, including how it is calculated after deducting labor costs and the oil press's share, and is it paid from the olives themselves, the oil, or its monetary value, and how is the zakat for owners of oil presses, and are oil presses allowed to take a "commission" without charge?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Scholars differed regarding the obligation of zakat on olives. The majority are of the opinion that it is obligatory, based on Allah’s saying: (And give its due on the day of its harvest). However, Ash-Shafi’i, in his new opinion, and Ahmad, in one narration, held that it is not obligatory because it is not stored dry, and this is the adopted madhhab among Shafi'is and Hanbalis. Those who deemed it obligatory stipulated that the olives must reach the nisab, which is five wasqs (300 sa’s), and that a tenth or half a tenth be given out, depending on the irrigation method. It is permissible to give out zakat from either the olives or the oil. Harvesting costs are not deductible unless the farmer borrows money due to lack of funds. It is not permissible for olive press owners to take olives without charge, nor to authorize the bank to pay for them with a deferred increase (riba). It is permissible to sell olives for a deferred price higher than the immediate price, provided that one of the two methods is agreed upon in the same session. If the olive press owner takes a portion as payment for his work, there is no zakat due on him for it, because it was not his property at the time zakat became due.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy