GOLD

Arabic ẕahab ( ذهب‎ ); Heb. ‏זהב‎ . The zakāt imposed upon gold is upon twenty mis̤qāls one-half mis̤qāl, and upon every four mis̤qāls in exce , one qīrāt̤, because the alms upon gold is one fortieth of the whole. This is due upon all gold, whether it be in coin or in ornaments. But ash-Shāfiʿī says it is not due upon the ornaments of women or the rings of men. ( Hidāyah , vol. i. p. 27.) The sale of gold is only lawful when it is exactly equal in point of weight, for Muḥammad said, “Sell gold for gold, from hand to hand, at an equal rate according to weight, for any inequality in point of weight is usury.” ( Idem , vol. ii. 552.) “It is not lawful for a man or woman to eat or drink out of gold or silver ve els.” ( Idem , vol. vi. 86.)