maal

Maal is a term used in Arabic and in the Hindustani languages (Urdu and Hindi) to denote wealth, property, or goods. In Arabic, مال (mal) means wealth or property and appears in religious and legal contexts. In Urdu and Hindi, maal typically refers to movable property and possessions, sometimes distinguished from jaidad, which denotes land or real estate.

In legal, economic, and administrative usage, maal is a general category for assets owned by a person or organization. It can encompass cash, valuables, equipment, inventory, and other forms of movable property. The concept also underpins ownership rights, transfers, contracts, and financial obligations related to assets.

In Islamic jurisprudence, maāl (or mal) denotes wealth and property that individuals manage under Shariah rules. It is central to discussions of zakat (the wealth tax due on certain assets), inheritance, debt, and transactions. The classification of property as maal can influence rights and duties, such as eligibility for charitable obligations, the distribution of heirs, and permissible modes of transfer.

In everyday language, maal appears in phrases describing a person’s possessions or wealth, and it figures in literature and media as a general reference to material assets. The term is often transliterated from Arabic as maal or maāl, with pronunciation and spelling varying by language and regional orthography. While closely related to legal and economic concepts, maal remains a broad, culturally embedded notion of what people own and how that ownership is managed within a community.