Zakat Calculator — Egypt
Calculate your 2.5% Zakat in EGP on cash, gold, silver and investments, with the nisab set from live metal prices. No signup, no account needed.
Zakat in Egypt: Dar al-Ifta's rulings and Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat
Egypt has two distinct institutions that matter for zakat, and it helps to know which does what. Dar al-Ifta al-Missriyyah is the state's religious-ruling body — it issues fatwas on when zakat becomes obligatory, how to value the nisab and how to treat specific assets, but it does not collect money. Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat (the Egyptian House of Zakat and Charity) is the collection and distribution side: an independent entity created by Presidential Decree Law No. 123 of 2014, chaired by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, which has in fact been distributing zakat and charity since 1999. For an individual Muslim, paying zakat is a personal religious duty, not something the Egyptian state assesses or fines you for skipping; Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat's role is to make giving easier and to route it to the eight categories of recipients set out in the Quran, not to enforce collection.
How to pay zakat through Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat
Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat offers several ways to pay: an online "Donate Now" portal, a built-in zakat calculator on its site (with separate money and gold inputs, including a gold-price-per-gram field), other listed donation channels, and a phone line (15111) for those who prefer to pay by phone or in person. There is no requirement to use this specific institution — you may also pay zakat directly to eligible individuals or to another registered charity — but because it is the government-affiliated body under Al-Azhar's oversight, it is the closest Egypt has to an official zakat channel.
Zakat and Egyptian tax law
Egypt has no zakat-specific tax credit. What does exist is a general charitable-donation deduction under Income Tax Law No. 91 of 2005: donations to registered associations, civil institutions, educational bodies, government-supervised hospitals and scientific research institutions are deductible, capped at 10% of annual taxable net profit, provided they are documented on the correct tax schedule (Schedule 402 for corporate taxpayers, Schedule 102 for individuals). Donations to government bodies and certain public funds are deductible without that cap. Because Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat is a government-affiliated registered institution, a documented zakat payment made through it may fall under this general donation deduction — but this is an ordinary income-tax relief for charitable giving, not a zakat-specific rebate, and it only helps taxpayers who file and owe income tax in the first place.
Working out the nisab in EGP
Dar al-Ifta's own fatwas state the nisab as the value of 85 grams of 21-karat gold — not the 24-karat (pure gold) weight used in some other countries' calculators — because 21-karat is the karat most commonly bought, sold and worn in Egypt. To find today's figure, take a current 21-karat gold price per gram from an Egyptian gold-price source and multiply by 85. Egypt has no single government gold-price regulator; jewellers and gold-price trackers publish daily 24K/22K/21K/18K rates in EGP per gram that follow the Cairo gold market and the international spot price — check a current local quote rather than relying on a fixed number, since gold moves daily and Egypt has seen large EGP price swings in recent years.
Practical points for calculating zakat in Egypt
- Bank savings certificates (شهادات ادخار): high-yield EGP savings certificates from banks such as Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt are one of the most widely held savings products in the country. Held as cash-equivalent savings, they are ordinarily included in your zakatable wealth at their redemption/face value, the same as a bank deposit.
- Gold jewellery: according to Egypt's Dar al-Ifta, following the Shafi'i school, gold jewellery a woman keeps for personal adornment carries no zakat, regardless of whether it is actually worn — this differs from the Hanafi position, which does treat such jewellery as zakatable. Gold bought and stored purely as savings, rather than worn, is treated as investment gold and is zakatable once it reaches the nisab.
- Hawl and the Hijri calendar: the one-lunar-year holding period is measured in Hijri (Islamic calendar) months, which run roughly 11 days shorter than the Gregorian year. Many people in Egypt anchor their zakat date to Ramadan so the timing is easy to remember, but any consistent Hijri anniversary date works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is zakat legally required in Egypt?
No — zakat is a personal religious obligation on qualifying Muslims, not a tax the Egyptian government assesses or collects. Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat, the government-affiliated collection body chaired by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, exists to facilitate voluntary payment and distribution, not to enforce it.
What is the zakat nisab in Egypt today?
Dar al-Ifta defines the nisab as the value of 85 grams of 21-karat gold. Because gold prices change daily, there is no fixed EGP figure — multiply a current 21-karat gold price per gram by 85 to get today's threshold.
Can I pay zakat through Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat?
Yes. It accepts payment online, through its own calculator tool, through other listed donation channels, and by phone on 15111. You are also free to give zakat directly to eligible recipients or another registered charity.
Is zakat tax-deductible in Egypt?
There is no zakat-specific tax break, but Income Tax Law No. 91 of 2005 allows a general deduction for documented donations to registered associations and institutions, capped at 10% of annual taxable net profit. This only benefits people or companies who file and owe income tax.
Related calculators
Sources
- Egyptian House of Zakat and Charity (Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat) — Who We Are (accessed 24 September 2026)
- Beit El Zakat wel Sadakat — official site (donation channels, zakat calculator) (accessed 24 September 2026)
- Egypt's Dar al-Ifta — "Conditions for the Obligatoriness of Zakat" (nisab = 85g of 21-karat gold) (accessed 24 September 2026)
- El-Balad — Dar al-Ifta ruling: no zakat on jewellery kept for personal adornment (Shafi'i view) (accessed 24 September 2026)
- Andersen Egypt — "Law 91 and Tax Deductions: Cash and In-Kind Donations in Egypt" (accessed 24 September 2026)
- Masarat Initiative — "How to Calculate Zakat Al-Mal in Egypt (Egyptian Dar al-Ifta)" (accessed 24 September 2026)