Question Summary:
1) My first question is which measure of weight would be correct as per the Hanafi Fiqh? 2) if the gold or silver possessed is not pure what is the method for determining the nisaab. Eg. If any ornament contains 22 carat gold or 18 carat gold what is the weight to be considered.

Question Detail:

First of all let me express my gratitude to Mufti Ebrahim Saheb for rendering this service to the ummah and being the source of much knowledge. My query relates to the payment of Zakat.

A website states that Zakaat must be paid on gold if it reaches the Nisaab (i.e. the minimum amount liable for Zakaah), which is 20 Mithqaal (a measure which equals 85 grams of pure gold, 1 Mithqal = 4,25 grams), this means that one should pay ½ Mithqaal as Zakaat, i.e., 2.5% of the value of gold.

Zakaat must be paid on silver if it reaches 200 Dirhams, which is the equivalent of 595 grams of pure silver; one should pay five Dirhams as Zakaah, i.e., 2.5% of the value of silver.

Other sources such as your website state that the nisab is 87.48 grams of gold or 612.35 grams of silver.

1.       My first question is which measure of weight would be correct as per the Hanafi Fiqh?
2.       Secondly, if the gold or silver possessed is not pure what is the method for determining the nisaab. Eg. If any ornament contains 22 carat gold or 18 carat gold what is the weight to be considered.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
1. The Nisab of gold and silver is 20 mithqals and 200 dirhams respectively. The Nisab of gold became 87.48 grams and silver became 612.35 grams. The weights and conversions mentioned on our website are in accordance to that which is recorded in the books of the Ulamaa.
(Al-Hidaya, vol 1, pg 174, Rashidiyya / Al-Bahr al-Raiq, vol 2, pg 225, Rashidiyya / Fatawaa Al-Mahmudiyya, vol 9, pg 378, Faruqiyya)
 
2. In order for an item to be classified as a gold or silver item, it is necessary that it contain more than 50% of gold or silver. If it contains less than 50% of gold or silver, it will not be considered as a gold or silver item.
 
Items that are 18ct, 22ct and 24ct gold would be considered as gold, since they contain more than 50% of gold. However, 9ct is not considered as gold because it contains only 37.44% of gold.
If your item is classified as gold or silver and its weight reaches the Nisab amount (gold: 87.48 g / silver: 612.35 g), then you will have to give zakaat on them. 
(Al-Hidaya, vol 1, pg 174, Rashidiyya)
 
ليس فيما دون مائتي درهم صدقة
ليس فيما دون عشرين مثقالا من الذهب صدقة
وإذا كان الغالب على الورق الفضة فهو في حكم الفضة وإذا كان الغالب عليها الغش فهو في حكم العروض
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Talha Desai,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah