Zakah on cows

Q: A man owns twenty cows as an investment to sell their milk in the market. He wants to know if Zakah is due on these cows.

A: If the cows are not intended to be sold, then no Zakah is due on them, unless they meet two conditions: Firstly, if they are grazing freely. Secondly, if they reach the Nisab (the minimum amount on which Zakah is due), and the Nisab for cows is thirty. If the cows are intended for sale, Zakah is due on them when they reach the Nisab or are more than that. As the question shows, the man owns twenty cows that are not grazing freely and they are bought as an investment, not for sale. If that is the situation, then no Zakah is due on these cows. However, Zakah is due on the income from the milk if it reaches the Nisab and he keeps it for a lunar year.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.