Is it permissible for palm grove owners to eat, gift, and sell dates from their harvest before they are estimated (for zakat) and their zakat is paid, given that an estimator is unavailable, and do they pay the zakat on the remaining dates at harvest time?

The estimation of date palms and grapes, known as "kharṣ," involves estimating their yield in kilograms after they become dates or raisins. The Imam sends estimators (khāriṣīn) for this purpose. The owner of the fruit is permitted to dispose of it through sale or gift before or after the estimation, and the zakat remains obligatory upon the seller. It is sunnah for the estimator to leave one-third or one-fourth of the fruit for the owner, as a means of alleviation for him and to meet his needs, the needs of his family, his guests, and the needy. Zakat is not obligatory on this one-third or one-fourth. If the Imam does not send an estimator, the owner must bring a trustworthy estimator, or he should strive to estimate his fruit himself if he needs to eat from it or give it as a gift before the estimation. He is allowed to deduct what he eats or gives as a gift from the one-third or one-fourth that is exempt from zakat.