Towards A Unified Zakat System

No: 17/2/28/8799(»Date: 8/9/1370 H13/6/1951We, Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Faisal Al-SaudKing of Saudi Arabia.By the Grace of God, and having considered our Decree No. 17/2/28/3321 of 21Moharram 1370 H. (2111/50) providing for the institution of income tax, and afterconsidering our Decree No. 17/2/28/8634 of 29 Jumad 11,1370 H. (714151)providing for the amendment of the first Royal Decree and ordering that only Zakatbe collected from Saudi nationals and that the application of income tax be restictedto non-Saudi, and whereas Zakat is higher than income tax, and in view of what wehave felt of the desire of our people to distribute by themselves part of the zakat dueon their properties and monies to their poor relatives or dependents in whose favourZakat was imposed by God,We order the following:Article 1- Legal Zakat due on money and goods is one-fourth of one-tenth(1/4 by1/10) = 2.5 per cent. J-he Financial Department shall collect from Saudis one-eighthof one-tenth (1/8 by 1/10) = 1.25 per cent and the balance shall be left with the liablecitizens to distribute themselves among the needy people in whose favour- ofGod hasimposed the Zakat, and God will judge them.ArticleIl- Zakat on cattle and land crops shall be collected by the concernedauthorities as before.Article III- Those concerned shall enforce this Decree.1) Royal Decree No. 17/2/281577 of 14/3/76 H. (19/10/56) cancelled both Royal Decree No. 8634 and Royal decree NO. 8799.