Unpaid Zakaah

Q: A man did not pay zakaah for 20 years. He owns a business and only a year ago he has got R300 000 cash in the bank. What must he do about the 20 years? Please clarify

A: If this man possessed stock or cash equal to or more than the value of nisaab during the past 20 years, then he has to pay zakaat for all the past years. However, if he never owned stock or cash to the value of nisaab, or he always had debts that outweighed his assets, then zakaat for the past years is not compulsory. He shall pay zakaat on the R300,000. for the current year only since that is a recent asset.