Zakat on Gold in the UAE: Nisab, 2.5% and a Worked AED Calculator

Zakat on gold is 2.5% once you hold 85 g of pure gold for a lunar year. See the nisab in AED at the 18 Oct 2026 rate, with worked examples and tola figures.

How much is zakat on gold?

Zakat on gold is 2.5% (one-fortieth) of the value of the gold you own, once it reaches the nisab and you have held it for one full lunar year (the haul). The nisab is commonly given as 85 grams of pure 24K gold. Some scholars and organisations use 87.48 grams instead, which is 7.5 tola.

In dirhams, the sum is: pure gold weight × the 24K rate × 0.025. On 18 October 2026 the official Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group 24K rate was AED 502.00 per gram, so the 85 g nisab was worth AED 42,670 and the zakat on exactly that amount is AED 1,066.75. Check the live 24K gold price before you calculate, because the rate moves daily. This guide uses the pure-weight method throughout and shows the main alternative where it changes the figure.

What does zakat on gold in Islam cover?

Zakat on gold applies to gold in any form that you own: jewellery, coins, bars and savings held as gold. Scholars differ on jewellery worn for personal use, which is covered below.

Three conditions apply. You must own the gold outright, it must reach the nisab, and you must have held at least the nisab for a lunar year. If you also hold cash, savings or business stock, many scholars add these together when assessing your total zakatable wealth, so ask your scholar how to combine them.

• Nisab: 85 g pure gold (or 87.48 g by some opinions).
• Rate: 2.5% of the value.
• Haul: one lunar year of continuous ownership above the nisab.
• Basis: pure gold content, not the gross weight of the piece, valued at the 24K rate.

What is the gold nisab in AED today?

The nisab is a weight, not a fixed dirham amount, so its AED value changes with the gold price. Using the 24K rate of AED 502.00 per gram on 18 October 2026, 85 g comes to AED 42,670 and 87.48 g to AED 43,914.96.

The last 30 days show how far it can move. The 24K rate ranged from a low of AED 492.75 to a high of AED 527.50, so the 85 g nisab was worth AED 41,883.75 at the low and AED 44,837.50 at the high. That is why you should check your pure gold weight against the nisab first, then use the price only to work out the amount due. The gold price history page shows the recent range.

How do I use a zakat on gold calculator in AED?

You can do this by hand in four steps, or use an online zakat calculator in AED and enter the same figures. The UAE-based [International Charity Organization zakat calculator](https://www.ico.org.ae/en/Zakat-Calculater) is one option; check that its gold method matches the basis you have chosen. The key is to convert karat gold into pure gold weight so the comparison with the nisab is fair.

Multiply the weight by the purity: 24K is 99.9%, 22K is 91.6%, 21K is 87.5%, 18K is 75% and 14K is 58.5%. Then compare the result with 85 g (or 87.48 g if you follow that opinion).

• Weigh each piece of gold, excluding stones where you can.
• Multiply by purity to get pure gold grams (for 22K, weight × 0.916).
• If the total is at least the nisab and you have held it for a lunar year, zakat is due.
• Multiply the pure gold grams by the 24K rate on your zakat date, then by 0.025.

Worked example: 22K jewellery in AED

Most UAE households hold 22K. The main method here is pure gold weight × the 24K rate of AED 502.00 per gram on 18 October 2026. In 22K terms, the 85 g threshold is about 92.8 g of jewellery (85 ÷ 0.916), or about 95.5 g for the 87.48 g opinion.

Some people instead value the whole piece at the 22K rate, which was AED 464.75 per gram on the same date. For 100 g of 22K, the pure-weight method gives 91.6 g × 502 × 0.025 = AED 1,149.58. The 22K-rate method gives 100 × 464.75 × 0.025 = AED 1,161.88, which is AED 12.30 more. The pure-weight method matches the gold content that zakat is charged on, but ask your scholar which basis they prefer.

What is zakat on gold per tola?

One tola is 11.664 g, so the 87.48 g nisab is exactly 7.5 tola, and 85 g is about 7.29 tola. If your family counts gold in tolas, that is the number to remember. The gold price per tola page has the live rate.

On 18 October 2026, one tola of 24K cost AED 5,855.33, so 2.5% is about AED 146.38 per tola. A tola of 22K holds about 10.68 g of pure gold, so by the pure-weight method zakat is about AED 134.09 per tola. At the 22K tola price of AED 5,420.84 it would be about AED 135.52. For 10 tola of 22K (116.64 g, about 106.8 g pure), zakat is AED 1,340.87 by pure weight or AED 1,355.21 at the 22K rate. Either way, that is comfortably above the nisab.

Is zakat due on gold jewellery for personal use?

This is the question where scholars genuinely differ, so there is no single answer to give you. The Hanafi school generally holds that zakat is due on gold jewellery even when it is worn. Many scholars of the Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali schools hold that jewellery worn in a lawful, ordinary way is exempt.

Among published guidance, the National Zakat Foundation (UK) says zakat applies to gold jewellery, including pieces that are worn; its page is listed in the sources below. Ask a qualified scholar or your local fatwa service, and follow the opinion of your own school. Gold kept as an investment, as bars or coins, or jewellery held mainly as savings is treated differently from pieces worn regularly. If you are unsure, paying is the cautious choice. Our 22K vs 24K guide helps if you are unsure of the purity of your pieces.

When and how should I pay?

Fix a date for your zakat year, often a day in Ramadan or the anniversary of when your gold first reached the nisab, and value your gold on that date. Scholars differ on whether to use the rate on that anniversary or the rate on the day you actually pay. Use the date you have fixed for your zakat year, apply it consistently, and ask your scholar if the two rates are far apart. Check the 22K gold price or the 24K page for the rate on your chosen date.

In the UAE, zakat can be paid through channels such as the federal Zakat Fund or the International Charity Organization (ICO), or given directly to eligible recipients. Confirm current payment methods on their official sites. If you plan to sell gold to cover the payment, our gold resale guide explains what to expect from buy-back rates. Keep a note of your weights and the rate you used, so next year's calculation is quick.