Fatwa ID: 08478

 

 

Answered by Muftiyah Shireen Mangera-Badat

 

Question:

 

I have come across a scenario where a village is relocating to its original location after a natural disaster. They are moving back from living in tents to their original locations. In order to so they must knock down the original damaged houses and then reconstruct.

 

 

Currently they are breaking down the damaged homes with their bare hands and manual tools. They have asked for a compressor machine which will be used and owned by the whole village. I would like to know if Zakat money can be used to purchase this machine for the village. The whole village is eligible for zakat.

 

 

 

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

 

Answer:

 

The underlying rule for zakat to be valid, is for the receiver to have absolute [1]ownership of the contribution that has been given. If you buy the item for them, you will not be fulfilling the rights of the zakat.

 

However, if you give them the contribution and they buy the item, that would then be permitted; as they have been given full ownership and they have made a choice of their own.[2]

 

Therefore, in your case, if you give the community the donation that has been collated and you notify them of the intention, they may buy the machinery if they so will.

 

 

 

 

References:

 

[1]

أقول : ولا حاجة إلى ذلك، فقد ذكر في البدائع من الشروط الملك المطلق…….

رد المختار ٣/١٧٤

 

 

[2] ….، لأن المراد بالتام : المملوك رقبة ويداً، وملك المكاتب ليس بتام لوجود المنافي……..

رد المختار ٣/١٧٥.

 

 

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Muftiyah Shireen Mangera-Badat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham