Q: After traveling to Saudi Arabia to work in an organization, I began to send checks to my brother in Egypt continuously. After a short period and to my surprise, I found that he deposited all my money with a usurious bank and then I immediately asked him to draw all my money from this bank, because it deals in usury and this is Haram (prohibited). He responded affirmatively and told me that he would withdraw the money from this bank. After a period, I returned to Egypt and he said to me: "I invested your money in a project," which was a furniture store. Since he invested my money in this enterprise, I became a partner with him together with a third person. He registered the partnership formally and made the necessary contracts and documents of partnership. Later, this was registered in a court of law. After eight (Part No. 8; Page No. 10) months, they also terminated my contract and got me out of the partnership formally through a court. Since I left the partnership, I have not got my money until now. This money will help me in concluding my marriage, because I need this money for marriage.In short, the money was deposited with a bank for period less than a year and then was invested in an enterprise for another period that is less than a year also. I left this business more than a year ago. Is Zakah (obligatory charity) obligatory for the money in these three cases and should I pay it? Is there something wrong in paying Zakah more than its due amount enacted by Shari`ah (Islamic law), or is it necessary to abide by the fixed time and the exact amount of money, which is 25 per 1000 riyals? Does the term "obligation of Zakah" mean the Zakah payable on money, or Zakat-ul-Fitr (obligatory charity paid before the Festival of Breaking the Fast), or equally apply to them both? Please, advise. May Allah reward you with the best!