Fatwa ID: 06724

Answered by: Maulana Abdul Malik

Question:

My mum wanted to give zakat to some people in Bangladesh. They themselves don’t pay zakat as they don’t meet the nisaab but they do own some land from which they eat for just themselves. They also own a house but don’t make any profit from that house.

Can my mum give zakat to them?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

When discharging Zakat it is necessary for the Zakat funds to be given to a valid recipient of Zakat.

Zakat can be given to an individual who does not possess the Nissab over and beyond their basic needs. Therefore if the poor family does not own the Nissab amount for Zakat and assets over and beyond their basic needs it would be permissible to give them Zakat funds. (Raddul Muhtar, 283, vol 3)[1]

In light of the above, one should ascertain whether the family owns the Nissab amount or assets beyond their basic needs which is more than the Nissab amount before giving Zakat. If the person does not own any of the above after investigation, it would be allowed to give them Zakat.

[1] أى مصرف الزكاة والعاشر…..(هو فقير ،وهو من له أدنى شيء) أى دون نصاب أو قدر نصاب غير تام مستغرب في الحاجة

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdul Malik

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham