If the crop is irrigated without cost—such as by floodwaters, surface run-off, or by drawing moisture through its own roots in dry-farmed land (baʿl)—one-tenth is due. This is based on the sound report from Ibn ʿUmar: “On what the sky and springs water, or what grows on its own, a full tenth is due,” and on Muslim’s narration from Jābir: “On what the rivers or clouds water, a full tenth is due.”

By contrast, produce irrigated with expense—through wells and the like—incurs half of one tenth, as the Prophet ﷺ said in the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿUmar: “And on what is watered by lifting devices (naḍḥ), half of one tenth,” recorded by al-Bukhārī. Naḍḥ here refers to irrigation carried out with water-drawing animals (sawānī). Muslim likewise relates from Jābir: “And on what is watered by the sāniya, half of one tenth.”

Zakat on grains becomes obligatory when the grains harden, and on fruit when it first shows ripeness—when it turns red or yellow. Should the owner sell it after that point, the zakat remains his responsibility, not the buyer’s.

The grain must be given after it has been cleaned, free of straw and husks. Fruit is assessed and taken in its dried form, for the Prophet ﷺ ordered that grapes be appraised as raisins, and their zakat collected as raisins, just as the zakat due on date palms is taken as dates; and neither raisins nor dates receive those names until they are dry.