Zakat on Camels: Thresholds, Due Animals and Restarted Assessment

1. Basic Framework of Camel Zakat

Camel zakat has a graduated schedule. At the earliest thresholds, sheep are due rather than camels; starting with 25 camels, female camels of specified age categories become obligatory.

Two governing conditions are grazing status (sa’imah) and completion of the zakat year. The counted animals, the due animal’s age, and the endpoint of each bracket must be kept distinct.

2. No Camel Zakat Below Five

بَابُ زَكَاةِ الْإِبِلِ. لَيْسَ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ خَمْسِ ذَوْدٍ مِنَ الْإِبِلِ صَدَقَةٌ.
Translation: Chapter: Zakat on Camels. No zakat is due on fewer than five camels.

Dhawd denotes a small group of camels. The opening nisab is 5 camels, so 1–4 camels, considered solely under the livestock rule, do not reach camel-zakat nisab.

This rule concerns camels assessed as livestock. Camels held as trading stock are treated under the separate zakat rules for trade goods.

3. Five to Nine: One Sheep

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ خَمْسًا سَائِمَةً، وَحَالَ عَلَيْهَا الْحَوْلُ: فَفِيهَا شَاةٌ إِلَى تِسْعٍ.
Translation: Once the camels number five, are grazing livestock, and a year passes, one sheep is due through nine camels.

“Five grazing camels” incorporates the opening threshold and the condition of grazing; the qualifying year must also have passed. From 5 through 9, the due amount is one sheep.

Requiring a sheep instead of a camel is part of the transmitted zakat schedule. Having 6, 7, 8 or 9 camels does not trigger another sheep.

4. Ten to Twenty-Four: Graduated Sheep Dues

فَإِذَا كَانَتْ عَشْرًا: فَفِيهَا شَاتَانِ، إِلَى أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ. فَإِذَا كَانَتْ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ: فَفِيهَا ثَلَاثُ شِيَاهٍ، إِلَى تِسْعَ عَشْرَةَ. فَإِذَا كَانَتْ عِشْرِينَ: فَفِيهَا أَرْبَعُ شِيَاهٍ، إِلَى أَرْبَعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ.
Translation: Two sheep are due for 10–14 camels, three for 15–19, and four for 20–24.

For 10–14 camels, two sheep are due; for 15–19, three; and for 20–24, four. The obligation rises at each new multiple-of-five threshold, not at every individual animal.

Thus, the range from 5 to 24 contains four brackets. At 25 camels, the due item changes from sheep to a female camel of a specified age.

5. Complete Table: One to Twenty-Four Camels

1–4 camels: nothing.
5–9 camels: 1 sheep.
10–14 camels: 2 sheep.
15–19 camels: 3 sheep.
20–24 camels: 4 sheep.

For example, 10 and 14 camels have the same due amount, while reaching 15 increases it to three sheep. Each bracket begins at a specified threshold.

6. Grazing and Completion of the Zakat Year

Sa’imah refers to livestock maintained by grazing for most of the year, while hawl is the qualifying lunar zakat year. These conditions are independent of the numerical bracket.

Owning 12 camels points to a scheduled due amount of two sheep, but actual liability still depends on the applicable ownership, grazing and annual conditions.

7. Twenty-Five to Thirty-Five: Bint Makhad

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ خَمْسًا وَعِشْرِينَ: فَفِيهَا بِنْتُ مَخَاضٍ، إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَثَلَاثِينَ.
Translation: At 25 camels, one bint makhad is due through 35.

At 25 camels, the due item changes from sheep to one bint makhad, remaining the same through 35. This is a defined age class of female camel, not merely any female.

The contrast at the threshold is substantial: 24 camels require four sheep, while 25 require one bint makhad.

8. Age and Meaning of Bint Makhad

A bint makhad is a female camel that has completed one year and entered its second. The label identifies an age class, not an actual requirement that she be pregnant or have borne a calf.

At 25, the due animal becomes a female camel. Substitution with a younger or older age category follows separate legal rules and cannot simply be assumed equivalent.

9. Thirty-Six to Forty-Five: Bint Labun

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ سِتًّا وَثَلَاثِينَ: فَفِيهَا بِنْتُ لَبُونٍ، إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَأَرْبَعِينَ.
Translation: At 36 camels, one bint labun is due through 45.

At 36 camels, one bint labun is due through 45. She is a female camel that has completed two years and entered her third.

At 35, the due animal was bint makhad; reaching 36 moves the requirement to the older bint labun category.

10. Forty-Six to Sixty: Hiqqah

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ سِتًّا وَأَرْبَعِينَ: فَفِيهَا حِقَّةٌ، إِلَى سِتِّينَ.
Translation: At 46 camels, one hiqqah is due through 60.

At 46 camels, one hiqqah is due through 60. A hiqqah is a female camel that has completed three years and entered her fourth.

The age classification matters: 45 requires bint labun, but 46 moves to hiqqah. Calling the due animal merely “a larger camel” would obscure the specific requirement.

11. Sixty-One to Seventy-Five: Jadha‘ah

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ إِحْدَى وَسِتِّينَ: فَفِيهَا جَذَعَةٌ، إِلَى خَمْسٍ وَسَبْعِينَ.
Translation: At 61 camels, one jadha‘ah is due through 75.

At 61 camels, one jadha‘ah is due through 75. This is a female camel that has completed four years and entered her fifth.

Bint makhad, bint labun, hiqqah and jadha‘ah are distinct age classes. The class changes at specified thresholds, not with every additional camel.

12. Four Female-Camel Age Categories

Bint makhad: completed 1 year, entered the 2nd.
Bint labun: completed 2 years, entered the 3rd.
Hiqqah: completed 3 years, entered the 4th.
Jadha‘ah: completed 4 years, entered the 5th.

The age of the due female camel is part of the legal assessment. It is not sufficient to say that “one camel” is due in every bracket.

13. Seventy-Six to Ninety: Two Bint Labun

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ سِتًّا وَسَبْعِينَ: فَفِيهَا بِنْتَا لَبُونٍ، إِلَى تِسْعِينَ.
Translation: At 76 camels, two bint labun are due through 90.

At 76 camels, the obligation changes from one jadha‘ah to two bint labun, holding through 90. The number of due animals becomes two, but their category is bint labun.

Thus 75 camels require one jadha‘ah, while 76 require two bint labun. This is a fixed zakat bracket, not an estimate based solely on market price.

14. Ninety-One to One Hundred Twenty: Two Hiqqahs

وَإِذَا كَانَتْ إِحْدَى وَتِسْعِينَ فَفِيهَا حِقَّتَانِ، إِلَى مِائَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ.
Translation: At 91 camels, two hiqqahs are due through 120.

From 91 through 120 camels, the obligation is two hiqqahs. These replace the previously required two bint labun with two older females.

This is the final major bracket through 120. Beyond 120, the text introduces a restarted assessment of the additional animals alongside the established due amount.

15. Reference Table: Twenty-Five to One Hundred Twenty

25–35: 1 bint makhad.
36–45: 1 bint labun.
46–60: 1 hiqqah.
61–75: 1 jadha‘ah.
76–90: 2 bint labun.
91–120: 2 hiqqahs.

The boundary matters: at 61, jadha‘ah replaces hiqqah; at 91, two hiqqahs replace two bint labun.

16. Meaning of Restarted Assessment After 120

Here isti’naf al-faridah does not mean that zakat liability starts over from nothing; it means assessing the extra camels separately while retaining the two hiqqahs already due.

Two hiqqahs remain due through 124. The extra five-animal bracket first completes at 125, adding one sheep.

17. 125 to 144: Two Hiqqahs Plus Sheep

ثُمَّ تُسْتَأْنَفُ الْفَرِيضَةُ، فَيَكُونُ فِي الْخَمْسِ: شَاةٌ مَعَ الْحِقَّتَيْنِ. وَفِي الْعَشْرِ: شَاتَانِ. وَفِي خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ: ثَلَاثُ شِيَاهٍ. وَفِي عِشْرِينَ: أَرْبَعُ شِيَاهٍ.
Translation: Then the additional camels are assessed afresh: five extra require one sheep with the two hiqqahs, ten require two sheep, fifteen three, and twenty four.

125–129: 2 hiqqahs + 1 sheep.
130–134: 2 hiqqahs + 2 sheep.
135–139: 2 hiqqahs + 3 sheep.
140–144: 2 hiqqahs + 4 sheep.

The base obligation is the two hiqqahs attached to 120 camels. Complete increments of 5, 10, 15 and 20 add sheep at the specified amounts.

18. 145 to 150: A Change in the Due Animals

وَفِي خَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ: بِنْتُ مَخَاضٍ، إِلَى مِائَةٍ وَخَمْسِينَ، فَيَكُونُ فِيهَا ثَلَاثُ حِقَاقٍ.
Translation: With twenty-five extra, a bint makhad is due; on reaching 150 camels, the total obligation becomes three hiqqahs.

For 145–149 camels, the due amount is two hiqqahs plus one bint makhad: two hiqqahs for the original 120 and bint makhad for the additional 25.

At exactly 150, the schedule sets the total due amount at three hiqqahs. The 145 bracket must not simply be carried over.

19. Complete First Restart: 121–150

121–124: 2 hiqqahs.
125–129: 2 hiqqahs + 1 sheep.
130–134: 2 hiqqahs + 2 sheep.
135–139: 2 hiqqahs + 3 sheep.
140–144: 2 hiqqahs + 4 sheep.
145–149: 2 hiqqahs + 1 bint makhad.
150: 3 hiqqahs.

This schedule shows both uncharged increments between thresholds and the change in due animals at a new bracket.

20. Second Restart: After 150 Camels

ثُمَّ تُسْتَأْنَفُ الْفَرِيضَةُ، فَفِي الْخَمْسِ: شَاةٌ. وَفِي الْعَشْرِ: شَاتَانِ. وَفِي خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ: ثَلَاثُ شِيَاهٍ. وَفِي عِشْرِينَ: أَرْبَعُ شِيَاهٍ.
Translation: The additional animals are assessed anew: five extra require one sheep, ten two, fifteen three, and twenty four.

After three hiqqahs become due at 150, a second restarted assessment counts further increases of five, ten, fifteen and twenty camels.

155–159: 3 hiqqahs + 1 sheep.
160–164: 3 hiqqahs + 2 sheep.
165–169: 3 hiqqahs + 3 sheep.
170–174: 3 hiqqahs + 4 sheep.

21. 175 to 195: The Age Categories Recur

وَفِي خَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ: بِنْتُ مَخَاضٍ. وَفِي سِتٍّ وَثَلَاثِينَ: بِنْتُ لَبُونٍ.
Translation: For an additional twenty-five, a bint makhad is due, and for an additional thirty-six, a bint labun.

For 175–185, three hiqqahs plus one bint makhad are due, because the addition above 150 has reached 25 camels.

For 186–195, three hiqqahs plus one bint labun are due: the extra camels have reached 36, shifting to the next age bracket.

22. 196 to 200: Four Hiqqahs

فَإِذَا بَلَغَتْ مِائَةً وَسِتًّا وَتِسْعِينَ: فَفِيهَا أَرْبَعُ حِقَاقٍ إِلَى مِائَتَيْنِ.
Translation: When the camels reach 196, four hiqqahs are due through 200.

At 196 camels, the obligation becomes four hiqqahs through 200. The change follows completion of the additional 46-camel age bracket beyond 150, while the schedule states the final total as four hiqqahs.

Thus 195 camels require three hiqqahs plus one bint labun, but 196 require four hiqqahs.

23. How the Schedule Continues Beyond 200

ثُمَّ تُسْتَأْنَفُ الْفَرِيضَةُ أَبَدًا كَمَا تُسْتَأْنَفُ فِي الْخَمْسِينَ الَّتِي بَعْدَ الْمِائَةِ وَالْخَمْسِينَ.
Translation: Thereafter the prescribed dues are continually recalculated in the same manner as for the fifty camels beyond 150.

The schedule does not terminate at 200. In the third restarted assessment, the same pattern used for the fifty-camel addition from 150 to 200 repeats.

Thus, 201–204 retain the base four hiqqahs, while the completed five-camel increment at 205 adds one sheep. The successive brackets then apply again.

24. Bukhṭ and ‘Irāb: Different Camels, Same Ruling

وَالْبُخْتُ وَالْعِرَابُ سَوَاءٌ.
Translation: Bactrian and Arabian camels have the same ruling.

Bukhṭ refers to a type of camel distinguished from the Arabian type, while ‘irāb are Arabian camels. Breed or regional differences do not change the prescribed camel-zakat brackets.

Thus the assessment at 5, 25 or 40 camels does not vary by breed. Both types belong to the single livestock category of camels for these rules.

25. Why Sheep Are Due at the Lower Thresholds

For 5–24 camels, sheep are due instead of a whole camel. This establishes a zakat due when the first camel nisab is reached without imposing a disproportionate burden on a small herd.

The amount is grounded in the transmitted livestock-zakat schedule. The economic rationale helps explain it, but does not authorize creating new rates by individual discretion.

26. Intermediate Animals Between Thresholds

If one bracket covers 10–14 camels, the intermediate numbers 11, 12, 13 and 14 do not independently increase the dues. Likewise, one bint makhad remains due from 25–35, and two hiqqahs from 91–120.

This is the exemption of the increments between prescribed thresholds. It does not eliminate zakat on the herd; it means the amount due remains unchanged until the next threshold.

27. Transmission of the Camel-Zakat Schedule

The due amounts, age categories and endpoints in camel zakat are drawn from transmitted zakat schedules. Written zakat instructions attributed to the Prophet ﷺ and reports of the Companions form the basis of legal reasoning in this area.

The thresholds 25, 36, 46 and 91 are therefore not generated by a simple percentage formula; they follow a fixed transmitted schedule. Comparison and reconciliation of individual reports is a separate hadith-study question.

28. Numerical Cases: 125 and 145 Camels

125 camels: two hiqqahs for the first 120 plus one sheep for the additional five, giving 2 hiqqahs + 1 sheep.

145 camels: two hiqqahs for 120 plus one bint makhad for the additional 25, giving 2 hiqqahs + 1 bint makhad.

The prescribed bracket of the increase determines the due item, not just the fact that extra camels exist.

29. Numerical Cases: 150, 175 and 196 Camels

150 camels: 3 hiqqahs.
175 camels: 3 hiqqahs for 150, plus a bint makhad for the 25 extra.
196 camels: 4 hiqqahs; at 195 the schedule called for 3 hiqqahs plus a bint labun.

At 150 and 196 the entire due amount is restated; one cannot mechanically keep adding the previous bracket’s extra animal.

30. Review of the First Two Stages

1–4: no camel-livestock zakat.
5–24: 1 to 4 sheep, increasing at each multiple-of-five bracket.
25–75: one female camel of a specified age.
76–90: two bint labun.
91–120: two hiqqahs.

The broad structure moves through sheep, a single age-specified female camel, and then two female camels.

31. Three Stages of Assessment Beyond 120

Through 120: 2 hiqqahs, with bracket-based additions beginning at 125.

At 150: 3 hiqqahs, with further increases at 155, 160, 165, 170, 175 and 186.

196–200: 4 hiqqahs, with the same stepwise assessment continuing beyond 200.

The central mechanism is restarted assessment of the additional animals at each major stage.