and holds that it remains obligatory despite such stratagems, as indicated by Surah Nūn and other evidence. The four imams and the rest of the Muslim community—with only isolated exceptions—agree that zakat is obligatory on trade goods, whether the merchant is resident or travelling, and whether he holds stock—buying goods when prices are low and storing them until prices rise—or trades continuously, like shopkeepers. This applies whether the merchandise consists of new or used textiles; food, whether staples, fruit, accompaniments eaten with bread, or anything else; vessels, such as earthenware and the like; or living property, such as slaves, horses, mules, donkeys, fodder-fed sheep and goats, or anything else. Trade goods constitute most of the non-apparent wealth of town dwellers, just as livestock constitute most of the apparent wealth.
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Ownership is a prerequisite for zakat, but they disagreed over possession. They hold three views concerning zakat on property not in one’s possession, such as a debt:
The first is that zakat is obligatory on every debt and every tangible asset, even if it is not in the possession of