Zakat Calculator Saudi Arabia: How to Calculate Zakat in SAR (2026)

By Sharif Hossain · Last reviewed 2026
This guide is written for individuals in Saudi Arabia. It explains the distinction between personal religious zakat (your individual obligation) and the corporate Zakat administered by ZATCA for businesses, and provides SAR-specific calculation guidance. Sources are listed at the end.

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of zakat as an institutional practice — and today it’s the only country where the Hijri calendar is officially adopted and zakat is administered as a state matter for businesses. But this can confuse individuals: your personal religious zakat is separate from ZATCA’s corporate Zakat. This guide explains both and walks you through your personal calculation in SAR.

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Two Different Things That Share a Name

In Saudi Arabia, “Zakat” can refer to two different obligations:

1. Personal religious zakat — your individual obligation on your personal wealth, paid to qualifying recipients of your choosing. This is what 99% of guides (including this one’s calculator) are about.
2. Corporate Zakat administered by ZATCA — a state-collected obligation on businesses owned by Saudi or GCC citizens. Filed annually via the ZATCA portal as part of business tax compliance.

If you’re an individual employee or salaried professional in Saudi Arabia, you owe personal religious zakat. ZATCA’s corporate Zakat does not apply to you personally. It applies to businesses, partnerships, and capital entities — Saudi/GCC-owned entities pay Zakat on their Zakat Base, non-Saudi/non-GCC owners of businesses pay corporate income tax instead.

If you own a business in Saudi Arabia, you’ll deal with both — your personal zakat on your personal wealth, and ZATCA’s corporate Zakat filing for your business entity. Talk to a tax advisor or accountant for the business side.

Quick Summary for Saudi Arabia (Personal Zakat)

• Zakat rate: 2.5% of net zakatable wealth held continuously above nisab for one lunar year (~354 days)
• Silver nisab: 612.36 grams of silver at current SAR price
• Gold nisab: 87.48 grams of gold at current SAR price
• Calendar: Saudi Arabia officially uses the Umm al-Qura Hijri calendar — Hijri year is the natural reference for zakat anniversaries here.
• State collection (personal): Unlike Pakistan, Saudi banks do not automatically deduct personal zakat. Personal zakat distribution is voluntary.

Calculating Nisab in SAR

Convert the gram weights to SAR using current market prices:

• Silver nisab = 612.36 × current silver price per gram in SAR
• Gold nisab = 87.48 × current gold price per gram in SAR

The Saudi gold market is highly active. Reliable price sources include the National Commercial Bank, Al Rajhi Bank’s bullion division, and licensed Saudi jewelers in Jeddah, Riyadh, and Mecca. ZATCA also operates its own individual zakat calculator (called ZAKATY) available through the government’s e-services portal at zatca.gov.sa, which uses current gold and silver values.

Saudi Madhab Context

Saudi Arabia is officially aligned with the Hanbali madhab, with strong Wahhabi/Salafi reformist influence in religious practice. For zakat purposes:

• Gold and silver jewelry in regular personal use is typically exempt under the Hanbali position — only investment gold/silver and gold/silver held above what’s reasonable for personal use are zakatable.
• However, many Saudi scholars (following Ibn Baz, Ibn Uthaymeen, and others) hold that gold jewelry remains zakatable regardless of use — this is the more cautious view and many Saudis follow it.

If you’re unsure, follow the position your local scholar or imam advises. The conservative position (all gold and silver zakatable) is the safer choice if you want to err on the side of paying more rather than less.

How to Handle Common Saudi Financial Assets

Bank accounts (Saudi)

Fully zakatable. Include current accounts, savings, and investment accounts at all Saudi banks (Al Rajhi, NCB/SNB, Riyad Bank, etc.) at their balance on your zakat date. Saudi banks do not deduct personal zakat at source — the full balance is your responsibility to calculate.

Islamic investment accounts and Murabaha

Funds in Murabaha, Mudaraba, Sukuk, or other Sharia-compliant Saudi investment products are zakatable at their current value. Returns on these are halal income.

End-of-service gratuity

Same as the UAE position: most contemporary scholars hold gratuity is not zakatable until you actually receive it, because you don’t have full control during employment. Once received, it becomes part of your cash and is zakatable if held past your next zakat date.

Saudi stocks (Tadawul) and mutual funds

• Trading shares (short-term): full market value zakatable.
• Long-term investment shares: typically 25–30% of market value as the zakatable portion, per most contemporary scholars.

Gold from Saudi jewelers

Per the discussion above, the dominant Saudi position increasingly includes gold and silver jewelry in zakat calculations, even when worn. Use current per-gram market value for your gold’s purity. Gold bought from Saudi gold markets — particularly in Jeddah’s Balad area or Riyadh’s gold souks — is typically 21–22 karat.

Real estate in Saudi Arabia

Your home is not zakatable. Investment property (land held for resale, rental properties, off-plan units) is zakatable at current market value.

Foreign assets

If you have wealth outside Saudi Arabia — savings in your home country (for expats), foreign investments, property abroad — all of it counts. Convert to SAR at today’s exchange rates.

Cryptocurrency

Saudi Arabia has been cautious on crypto regulation but the dominant religious view treats crypto as a tradable asset, zakatable at market value (SAR equivalent) on your zakat date.

Expat-specific note

Non-Saudi/non-GCC Muslims working in Saudi Arabia owe personal religious zakat the same as Saudi citizens — your residency status doesn’t change your obligation. Many expats remit zakat to family members in their home country, which is permissible. Include all your global assets in the calculation.

Use the Calculator

The calculator below is pre-set to SAR with silver nisab as default. Enter the current silver price per gram, then your assets (including foreign holdings converted to SAR) and liabilities.

The ZATCA Side: Corporate Zakat for Businesses

This section is only relevant if you own a business in Saudi Arabia. If you’re an individual employee, skip to “Where to Pay” below.

ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) administers corporate Zakat on businesses owned by Saudi citizens and GCC nationals (who are treated as Saudi citizens for Zakat purposes). The basics:

• Rate: 2.5% of the Zakat Base (representing net zakatable assets, calculated for Zakat purposes).
• Zakat Base formula: Total sources of funding minus fixed assets minus the like.
• Filing deadline: Within 120 days of the end of the company’s fiscal year.
• Payment: Made through the SADAD system using code 020 for Zakat.
• Mixed ownership: If a company is owned by both Saudi/GCC and non-Saudi interests, the Saudi/GCC portion pays Zakat; the non-Saudi portion pays income tax (20%).

For exact calculations and filing, businesses should use the official ZATCA portal (zatca.gov.sa) which offers a corporate Zakat calculator and filing services, and consult a Saudi-licensed tax advisor.

Important: The corporate Zakat filed via ZATCA covers your business entity’s obligation. It does not cover your personal zakat on your individual wealth. You still owe personal zakat on your personal savings, gold, property, and other assets held outside the business.

Where to Pay Your Personal Zakat in Saudi Arabia

You can give zakat directly to qualifying individuals or through institutions. Major channels:

• The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development — administers Saudi social welfare and accepts zakat for distribution to qualifying recipients within the Kingdom.
• King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) — international humanitarian programs; accepts zakat-eligible donations.
• Local charitable societies (Jamiyyah Al-Birr) — registered charity societies in each region of Saudi Arabia. There are many; major ones include the National Society for Human Rights, regional Birr societies, and charitable foundations affiliated with major mosques.
• Direct giving — to qualifying individuals in your community (Saudi citizens, qualifying expats, students at Islamic universities, workers in need).
• Mosque-based collection — many mosques across Saudi Arabia organize zakat collection and distribution for local needs.
• Remittance giving (for expats) — sending zakat to qualifying family members in your home country is permissible and common.

For institutional giving, verify the organization is licensed by Saudi authorities and distributes to the eight Quranic categories of recipients (Surah At-Tawbah 9:60).

Worked Example (in SAR)

Let’s say Khalid, a Saudi national working as a professional in Riyadh, is calculating his personal zakat. He uses silver nisab. Current silver price is SAR 3.20 per gram.

His nisab threshold:
612.36 × SAR 3.20 = SAR 1,960

His zakatable assets:

• Al Rajhi savings account: SAR 180,000
• SNB current account: SAR 30,000
• Wife’s gold (Saudi 21K, ~8 tolas / 95g): SAR 32,000 at current 21K rate
• Tadawul stocks (long-term, counts 25%): SAR 25,000
• Murabaha investment account: SAR 100,000
• Investment land in Riyadh: SAR 800,000

Total zakatable assets: SAR 1,167,000

His liabilities:

• Outstanding credit card: SAR 5,000
• Next 12 months of home finance (Murabaha): SAR 60,000

Total deductions: SAR 65,000

Net zakatable wealth: SAR 1,167,000 − SAR 65,000 = SAR 1,102,000

Well above nisab. Zakat is due.

Zakat owed: SAR 1,102,000 × 2.5% = SAR 27,550

Common Mistakes Saudis Make with Zakat

• Confusing ZATCA corporate Zakat with personal Zakat. If you own a business, the ZATCA filing covers the business entity. You still owe personal zakat on personal wealth.
• Forgetting gold jewelry. The dominant contemporary Saudi position includes gold jewelry in zakat. Use current per-gram market value.
• Using purchase price for gold. Saudi gold market prices fluctuate. Use today’s per-gram rate for your gold’s karat.
• Skipping investment real estate. Land or property held for resale is zakatable at current market value, not what you paid.
• Excluding foreign assets (for expats). All your global wealth counts — convert to SAR.
• Counting end-of-service gratuity before receipt. Most scholars say not zakatable until paid out.
• Subtracting the full home finance balance. Only the next 12 months of payments are deductible.

Sources and Scholarly Notes

This guide draws on:

• The Qur’an, particularly Surah At-Tawbah (9:60) on zakat recipients
• Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim for hadith establishing nisab
• The Hanbali fiqh tradition, official in Saudi Arabia, for general zakat positions
• Contemporary Saudi scholars including Sheikh Ibn Baz, Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen, and the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fatwa (Lajnah al-Da’imah) for modern issues
• ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) regulations for the corporate Zakat framework
• The official ZAKATY individual calculator at zatca.gov.sa for reference figures and methodology

For your personal situation — particularly involving business assets that interact with ZATCA filings, complex investments, or unusual instruments — consult a qualified Saudi scholar or a tax advisor familiar with both personal religious zakat and corporate ZATCA compliance.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general educational purposes. It is not a fatwa, not legal advice, and not a substitute for personal scholarly consultation or licensed Saudi tax advice. The author is not a Saudi scholar or Saudi tax advisor.

Related Tools

• Global Zakat Calculator — main guide covering 9 currencies and full madhab context
• Prayer Times — daily salah times for Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, and other Saudi cities
• Hijri Date Converter — convert between Islamic and Gregorian calendars (Saudi uses Umm al-Qura officially)
• Qibla Finder — find the direction of the Kaaba from Saudi Arabia
• Ramadan Timer — countdown to suhoor and iftar
• Islamic Events Calendar — major Islamic dates for the current year

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does ZATCA collect zakat from my personal bank account?
A: No. ZATCA administers corporate Zakat for businesses owned by Saudi and GCC citizens. Your personal bank account is not touched by ZATCA. Your personal religious zakat is your individual responsibility to calculate and pay.

Q: I own a business in Saudi Arabia. Do I need to pay both personal zakat and ZATCA’s corporate Zakat?
A: Yes. They cover different things. ZATCA’s corporate Zakat applies to your business entity’s Zakat Base (calculated annually). Your personal religious zakat applies to your individual wealth (cash, gold, personal investments, property). Filing one doesn’t satisfy the other.

Q: What is the current zakat nisab in SAR?
A: It depends on today’s gold and silver prices in Saudi Arabia. Silver nisab (612.36g) at recent silver rates works out to roughly SAR 2,000–3,000. Gold nisab (87.48g) at recent gold rates is over SAR 25,000. Most scholars recommend silver nisab because it’s lower and means more wealth becomes zakatable for the poor.

Q: Is gold jewelry zakatable in Saudi Arabia?
A: The dominant contemporary Saudi position, following scholars like Ibn Baz and Ibn Uthaymeen, is that gold jewelry is zakatable at current market value regardless of whether it’s worn. The classical Hanbali position more strictly exempts jewelry in regular personal use. Follow the position your local scholar advises; the conservative view is including all gold.

Q: I’m an expat working in Saudi Arabia. Are my zakat rules different?
A: Your personal religious zakat obligation is the same — 2.5% on wealth above nisab held for a lunar year, regardless of nationality. Include all your global assets (Saudi accounts and home-country assets converted to SAR). ZATCA’s corporate Zakat doesn’t apply to your personal wealth.

Q: Is end-of-service gratuity zakatable?
A: Most contemporary scholars hold gratuity is not zakatable until you actually receive it, because you don’t have full control during employment. Once paid out, it becomes part of your cash and is zakatable.

Q: Can I send my zakat to my home country (for expats)?
A: Yes. Sending zakat to qualifying recipients in your home country is permissible and common among Saudi expats. Many prefer this because you can verify the recipient’s eligibility (poor relatives, students, etc.) more reliably.

Q: Does Saudi Arabia use the Hijri or Gregorian calendar for zakat?
A: Saudi Arabia officially uses the Umm al-Qura Hijri calendar. Your zakat date is naturally a Hijri date — many Saudis use 1 Ramadan or another fixed Hijri anniversary each year. ZATCA accepts both Hijri and Gregorian fiscal years for corporate filings, with adjustments for the difference between 354 and 365 days.