Khums: Can Religious Tithes Be Paid in Stable Foreign Currency?

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Khums: Can Religious Tithes Be Paid in Stable Foreign Currency?

English:

Question #1027:

Can religious tithes be converted into hard currency which has a fixed value, unlike those that always fluctuate in their price? Would this be considered permissible according to Islamic law?

Answer #1027:

A person who is indebted for such tithes is allowed to do this but he should consider its price at the time of payment. However, the attorney of the authority in charge of khums — if he has just the right to collect and deliver the khums — does not have the right to change it from one currency to another. They can only do it if they have a permission to do so. The fluctuation in value does act as a shar‘ī justification for the exchange.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Khums