The assertion maintained by certain individuals—that the obligatory alms of Zakat apply solely to earned income while exempting vast holdings of wealth valued in millions of rupees simply because such static assets do not organically grow or multiply—is a notion wholly contrary to sacred Islamic law. Such a misguided premise cannot be legitimately advanced in the name of religion, for nowhere within Islamic jurisprudence is there a divine decree or prerequisite stipulating that Zakat becomes mandatory only upon the accrual of new income.
To those who contend that the principle of natural increase or growth applies exclusively to livestock, such as sheep and cattle, or to agricultural produce, one need only direct their attention to the established rulings governing gold and silver. Every scholar of sacred law recognizes that Zakat is unconditionally obligatory upon gold. Yet, one must ask: does gold inherently multiply by itself? If an individual purchases ten grams of gold today, will it naturally expand into twelve grams tomorrow, or will silver spontaneously breed and grow? Despite lacking any capacity for organic growth, the sacred law clearly and explicitly decrees that Zakat is due upon them.
Consequently, it is sheer ignorance to argue that currency, by virtue of its potential to grow, is subject to Zakat, while multi-million-rupee assets and real estate are exempt under the pretext that they do not multiply. Properties such as houses, orchards, or stored gold will never grow of their own accord; an ounce of gold kept for a century will remain precisely one ounce, rather than magically transforming into a hundred and one ounces. To insist that Zakat applies only when wealth multiplies—as when forty sheep breed into hundreds, or when agricultural yields expand—is entirely erroneous.
There exists no prophetic tradition (Hadith) nor any scriptural evidence in Islamic law to support the claim that assets are exempt from Zakat and that only incoming earnings are taxable. A system that levies dues strictly on incoming revenue describes a government income tax, not the divine obligation of Zakat ordained by the Almighty. Viewing Zakat through the lens of modern income tax accounting reflects a perspective completely devoid of religious understanding. Therefore, if anyone claims that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated that Zakat is exempt from fixed assets and applies only to growing income, one must firmly request that they provide authentic, explicit scriptural proof citing the exact Hadith volume and passage where such a statement is recorded.