For a person to be obliged to give Zakat, they must be Muslim, free, sane, and have reached puberty; they must have wealth that exceeds their debts and basic needs, which is genuinely or hypothetically productive in nature, and have possessed it for a year.

Nisab is a threshold of wealth set for acts of worship like Zakat, Sadaqat al-Fitr, and Qurban. It can also be defined as the minimum wealth required to be considered rich in Islam. A person who possesses wealth above this threshold, after deducting debts and basic needs, is considered wealthy and cannot receive Zakat or Sadaqat. If this wealth is productive and has been held for a year, Zakat must be given on it. The minimum threshold of wealth, or 'Nisab,' was determined by the Prophet Muhammad. These minimum thresholds reflect the average living standards and measures of wealth in the Islamic community at that time. According to the hadiths, the amounts for Nisab are: 80.18 grams of gold or its equivalent in money or trade goods; 40 sheep or goats, 30 cattle, 5 camels. The assets used to determine the Nisab amount were the most common measures of wealth at the time. This method of determining Nisab has been preserved in subsequent periods where social and economic conditions have not changed significantly.

There is no religious objection to giving Zakat and Fitrah to associations, institutions, and aid funds managed by trustworthy individuals who collect these donations in a fund and spend them solely in the areas specified in verse 60 of Surah At-Tawbah.

There is no specific time for giving Zakat; it should be given as soon as it becomes obligatory. There is no need to wait for a particular month or Ramadan. Those obliged to give Zakat should do so as soon as they become eligible.

The Qur'an specifies who can receive Zakat and Fitrah (Surah At-Tawbah, 60). They are: the poor, the needy, those to be freed from slavery, those in debt, those fighting in the path of Allah (those who strive to protect sacred values, those seeking knowledge), travelers, Zakat collectors, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled.

Like fasting and Hajj, the lunar calendar is used for Zakat. For Zakat to be obligatory, a lunar year must pass over the Nisab amount of wealth. However, if the owner wishes, they can give Zakat on their wealth that has reached the Nisab amount before it is due.

Basic needs include things necessary for the safe and healthy continuation of life, such as a house, household goods, clothing, transportation, and food. If money is saved to meet these needs and a verbal or written commitment has been made to spend it on them, Zakat is not required on this money. Once a commitment has been made, the money is considered spent on basic needs. However, if there has been no such commitment, and the money reaches the Nisab amount and has been held for a year, Zakat must be given on it.