What is the obligation if the fruit is preserved until the time for distribution?
Chapter on Zakat on Crops and Fruits
Al-Mughni
Book of Zakat
Primary text
If the fruit is preserved until the time of distribution, the owner is only obligated to pay Zakat on the existing amount, regardless of whether the owner initially chose the option of guaranteeing the *kharas* amount or preserving the fruit as a trust (*amānah*). This applies whether the final amount is more or less than what the estimator initially projected.
Supporting text
This is the view held by Al-Shafi'i. Malik held that the owner is bound by the estimator's figure, whether the actual yield is more or less, provided the Zakat amounts are close, arguing that the ruling shifts to the collector's (*sā'i*) determination based on the necessity of payment upon destruction of the fruit. The counter-argument is that Zakat is a trust and is not guaranteed by mere stipulation, unlike a deposit. The collector's word is only used when the owner disposes of the fruit without knowing the exact amount, based on the presumption of accuracy.