Zakah on the money inherited by minors and deposited in a bank for them

Q: After the death of our father we received a sum of money from the state as compensation for our agricultural lands through which a public road passed. At that time we were still young, i.e., we had not yet reached puberty. The sum was deposited for us at the bank by our paternal uncle who was our legal guardian. Upon reaching the age of puberty we asked him for our money whereupon he brought it to us. We embarked on building a house to live in. However, some of our relatives told us that there is Zakah (obligatory charity) due on this money and that our uncle did not pay the Zakah due on it during the whole period it was kept at the bank.A - Should Zakah be paid on this money for all the past years or does Zakah become Wajib (obligatory) on us only after we received it, which was a year ago? The sum is only 114,740 Saudi Rials.B - If it is Wajib on us to pay Zakah for this money for the past years, should we pay it in annual installments? It is to be noted that the money belongs to me, my mother, and my sister, that we do not have a fixed income and that both my sister and I are still school students and we live with my mother and her husband. (Part No. 8; Page No. 178


A: If the reality is as mentioned, it is Wajib on each one of you to pay the Zakah due on his share of this money for each of the years that passed without paying such due Zakah. The rate of Zakah that must be paid is 2.5%, i.e., two Riyals and a half for each one hundred Riyals.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.


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