Do I owe zakat on money I've lent to someone else?

Yes, in principle — a loan you've made is still your wealth, just temporarily out of your hands, and scholars differ mainly on when to pay rather than whether zakat is due at all. If the debtor is solvent and reliably able to repay (a "strong" debt), the more common view is that you should include it in your zakat calculation each year along with your other assets, since you have reasonable access to it. Some scholars permit delaying payment on this portion until you actually collect it, then paying for all the past years at once. If the debt is doubtful — the borrower is insolvent, evasive, or the debt is disputed — most scholars agree you only pay zakat on it for the one year in which you eventually receive it, not retroactively for the years it sat unpaid, since you had no real access to it during that time. Either way, once repaid, the money simply rejoins your cash and is tracked going forward like any other savings.

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