Zakat for a servant whose income has increased

Question

Khalid was a servant of a mosque. His needs for the year, which could not be met by his salary, he used to meet from zakat funds. Now he has had the opportunity to serve in a religious madrasa, and his income has increased somewhat: he can meet his needs with slight hardship, but he has not become an owner of the nisab. In this situation, may Khalid take zakat as usual or not?

Answer

So long as he does not possess, in excess of his basic needs, fifty-two and a half tolas (a unit of weight, ≈ 11.66 g) of silver or their value, he is entitled to zakat. However, since Allah Most High has increased his income, it is better to refrain from taking zakat: this is gratitude for the increase in income, and through it further growth may be hoped for.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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