We know that Amaliah is like a Big Sis and sometimes our DMs have been filled with requests for advice on a range of life issues including relationships, friendships or work troubles.

We have started a new segment where we field dilemmas from the community and answer them as frankly as we can with love, truth and honesty.

Need some advice on a dilemma? Send them all here!

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Assalamu Alaikum Aunt Maya, my spouse and I both work and have joined accounts. My husband primarily manages our finances (i.e. bookkeeping) and from expenses to charity, together we decide what we spend. Is the combined charity enough? Or should I do my own charity separately? Jzk Kher.

*Please Note: The following advice has been checked by an Aalimah but we highly recommend consulting your local scholar or imam for further clarification and details.*

Maya Areem Responds:

Asalamu Alaykum,

JazakAllah khair for your thoughtful question. It’s heartening to see you and your husband approaching your financial obligations with transparency and collaboration, which is a beautiful way to cultivate trust and alignment in a marriage. I appreciate your sincerity in wanting to ensure that you are fulfilling your obligations regarding charity and zakat.

When it comes to zakat, Islam places the responsibility on each individual to assess and pay their own zakat. This includes considering all personal and shared zakatable assets, deducting any liabilities, and calculating whether the total reaches the nisab threshold (the minimum amount of wealth required to be eligible for zakat). However, with mutual consent, a husband can choose to pay zakat on his wife’s behalf. To explore these key aspects further, you can refer to the following articles:

• How to Calculate Your Zakat
• A Guide to Paying Zakat on Gold

Managing Zakat in Joint Accounts

If you and your husband have a joint bank account, there are a couple of ways to determine zakat liability:

1. Consent for One to Pay: It is permissible for one spouse to pay zakat on behalf of the other with their consent. For example, if your husband takes responsibility for paying zakat on the entire joint account, including your share, after mutual discussion and agreement, that is acceptable. However, it’s essential to remember that the responsibility ultimately remains with the individual, and your consent to this arrangement is crucial. 
2. Clear Ownership Distinction: If you both have an agreed division of ownership—for instance, 60% belongs to you and 40% belongs to your husband—then you would each be responsible for paying zakat on your respective shares of the total funds. On your zakat anniversary, you would add your share to your personal zakatable assets to calculate the zakat due from you.
3. No Clear Ownership Distinction: In the absence of a formal agreement, it is assumed that the ownership is split equally (50-50), and each of you would calculate zakat on your half of the funds.

Additionally, if you have other personal zakatable assets—such as cash, jewellery, or other valuables—you will need to ensure zakat is paid on these items too if your total zakatable assets (including your share of the joint account) reaches the nisab value. It’s important to keep track of all your assets to ensure that zakat is paid in full and on time. It might help to take some time to assess your personal zakatable assets, like jewellery, cash, or investments that are separate from the joint account. Have an open and honest conversation with your husband about how you both plan to handle zakat on the joint account, and whether he’ll continue taking responsibility for covering your share. 

Zakat is a mandatory form of charity, but sadaqah, which is a voluntary charity, is also highly encouraged in Islam. If you feel a personal desire to give charity separately, even after contributing to joint charitable efforts, that can be a beautiful act of worship and a means to seek closeness to Allah. Perhaps you could consider setting up a small monthly contribution for causes that resonate with you.

Your intention is key here. If contributing jointly with your husband already fulfils your charitable responsibility and brings barakah to your household, then there is no compulsion to give separately. However, if giving independently brings you peace or joy, or if you wish to support causes close to your heart, then doing so is a commendable practice.

As for optional charity, if both you and your husband agree to a donation, it is permissible for one of you to give it on behalf of both, and you will both share in the rewards. This way, you both become donors and recipients of the blessings from that act of sadaqah.

Ultimately, the goal is to seek Allah’s pleasure through sincerity in fulfilling your obligations and engaging in acts of generosity. May Allah put barakah in your wealth and grant you and your husband continued unity and understanding. Ameen.

Love + Duas,

Aunt Maya

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If you would like some wisdom from Aunt Maya, send in your problems here! Please note Aunt Maya may consult the opinion of others from time to time and ask the Amaliah community for their advice too. Aunt Maya is not a licensed therapist or mental health professional.