What is the ruling concerning the difference between immediately due debts (*hal*) and deferred debts (*mu'ajjal*) regarding Zakah?

Primary text

The apparent position of Ahmad is that there is no distinction between immediately due and deferred debts regarding Zakah. This is because a full release (*bara'ah*) is valid concerning a deferred debt, and such a release would not be valid unless the asset was owned. However, it is treated under the ruling of a debt owed by an insolvent person because immediate collection is impossible.