—gold or silver who fails to discharge its due, except that, on the Day of Resurrection, plates of fire will be forged for him, then heated in the Fire of Hell, and with them his forehead and back will be branded….”

Thus, the unrestricted wording of both the verse and the ḥadith includes every kind of gold and silver, even jewelry intended for wearing or for lending.

They also cite the two ḥadiths of this chapter—the report of ʿAmr ibn Shuʿayb and the report of Umm Salamah—as explicit proofs on the matter.

First reply to these evidences:
The verse is general with respect to any quantity of gold or silver, whether small or large, whether coined or otherwise. The ḥadith is likewise general regarding small and large amounts of gold and silver and small and large herds, whether the animals graze freely or are fodder-fed. Yet other texts qualify this generality and restrict its absolute wording. Were we to act upon the general wording alone, we would have to pay zakāh on every quantity of such wealth, great or small, and on both grazing and stall-fed livestock. Similarly, if we took the obligation of zakāh on what comes out of the earth in its unrestricted sense, we would pay it on both small and large amounts and, along with grains and fruits, on all kinds of fruit, legumes, and vegetables. Other ḥadiths, however, have narrowed these general statements and clarified what is meant.

Among the texts that specify a particular zakāh niṣāb for gold and silver are his ﷺ words: “No zakāh is due on less than twenty mithqāls of gold, and no zakāh is due on less than two hundred dirhams.” Concerning camels he ﷺ said: “A zakāh is due on every five camels, and no zakāh is due on fewer than five” [narrated by al-Nasāʾī (2476) and Ibn Mājah (1799)].

He ﷺ also said regarding cattle: “For every thirty (head) a tabīʿ, and for every forty a musinnah” [narrated by al-Tirmidhī (622)].

And he ﷺ said concerning sheep: “When they number forty up to one hundred and twenty sheep…” [narrated …]