Zakat on Mobile Money (bKash/Nagad) Balances

Short answer: Yes, zakat is due on mobile money (bKash/Nagad) balances if they reach the nisab (minimum threshold) and remain in your possession for one complete lunar year (hawl). These balances are equivalent to cash savings and are included in the general command to pay zakat on wealth. Details: The obligation of zakat on wealth is clearly established in the Qur’an and authentic Hadith. Allah says in Surah At-Tawbah (9:34-35): "And those who hoard up gold and silver [Al-Kanz: money, the Zakat of which has not been paid] and spend it not in the Way of Allah, announce to them a painful torment…" This verse includes all forms of wealth that are saved and not spent in Allah's way. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also set the nisab: no zakat is due on less than five Uqiyas of silver (approx. 595 grams of silver) or five Wasqs of grain, as narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari 1404 and 1405. The same principle applies to cash equivalents like bank deposits, currencies, and mobile money balances. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned severely against withholding zakat, as in Sahih al-Bukhari 1403: "Whoever is made wealthy by Allah and does not pay the Zakat of his wealth, then on the Day of Resurrection his wealth will be made like a baldheaded poisonous male snake..." and in Sahih Muslim 988a regarding the punishment for not paying zakat on camels, which extends to all zakatable wealth. Since mobile money balances are a form of liquid wealth and are commonly used for saving and transactions, they are subject to zakat exactly like cash, gold, silver, or any other currency. The nisab is calculated based on the current value of silver (or gold, if you follow that opinion; the weightier view among Ahl al-Hadith is the silver nisab because it is more beneficial to the poor). If the balance reaches that threshold and one lunar year passes, 2.5% must be given as zakat. Evidence: 1. Sahih al-Bukhari 1404 (re: nisab of silver, and condemnation of hoarding). 2. Sahih al-Bukhari 1405 (re: nisab for silver, camels, and grains). 3. Sahih al-Bukhari 1403 (re: severe punishment for not paying zakat). 4. Sahih Muslim 988a (re: punishment for not paying zakat on wealth). 5. Surah At-Tawbah 9:34-35 (re: warning against hoarding wealth without paying zakat). 6. Sahih al-Bukhari 1468, Sahih Muslim 983 (re: obligation of zakat on all wealthy Muslims). Disclaimer: This is a general ruling based on the textual evidence. For complex situations involving mixed funds or multiple accounts, consult a knowledgeable scholar.