Question Summary:
Some of us argued that we only needed to pay Zakat if we had an established job, while others said that since we have a job in the first place, we must pay Zakat. Can you please clear this up for us? Do we, as teenagers with their first jobs, have to pay Zakat? When is it compulsary for us to do so?

Question Detail:

I am a 17 year old who is about to get a job soon.  My friends in the Muslim Students Association (MSA) at my school were talking about the requirements of Zakat, and who should pay it.  We were unsure about ourselves, in that since we just got, or were about to get jobs, would it be required for us to pay Zakat?  Some of us argued that we only needed to pay Zakat if we had an established job, while others said that since we have a job in the first place, we must pay Zakat.  Can you please clear this up for us?  Do we, as teenagers with their first jobs, have to pay Zakat?  When is it compulsary for us to do so?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
According to Shariah, not every person is obliged to pay Zakaat. According to the Laws of Zakaat, only if a person has excess money equivalent to the value of 87, 48 grams of gold (20 Mithqaals) or 612, 35 grams of silver ( 200 Dirhams) or more, will Zakaat become necessary upon him/her. By excess we refer to monies which are saved and one lunar year passes upon the money in his/her possession. Zakaat is not payable on monies used for personal expenses (Hidaayah 1/ 195-196 Ilmiyyah)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Muhammed Zakariyya Desai,
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah