Why Silver Nisab (52.5 Tola) is Mandatory for Cash & Bank Savings in Pakistan

When calculating annual Zakat in Pakistan, the most common question savers ask is whether they should test their bank balance against the 7.5 Tola Gold Nisab or the 52.5 Tola Silver Nisab.

1. The Origin of the Two Thresholds

In the prophetic era, 20 Dinars (7.5 Tola / 87.48 grams of Gold) and 200 Dirhams (52.5 Tola / 612.36 grams of Silver) had almost identical purchasing power. Over the centuries, the market ratio between gold and silver diverged significantly.

2. The Consensus Rule for Cash & Mixed Assets

Under Hanafi and majority Fiqh principles, the Gold Nisab (7.5 Tola) applies strictly to an individual who owns only Gold and possesses zero cash, zero silver, and zero trade goods. As soon as a person holds paper currency (PKR, USD), bank savings, committees (BC), or silver alongside gold, the threshold must be evaluated against the 52.5 Tola Silver Nisab based on the legal maxim of Anfa' lil-Fuqara (choosing that which is most beneficial to the poor).