Fatwa ID: 07432

Answered by: Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Question:

Can we send zakāt money to Ukraine to “soften their hearts towards Islam”?

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

Answer:

Allāh Ta’ālā has ordained on us: “Be steadfast in Salāh (prayer), and pay Zakāh, and bow down with those who bow down (in worship and obedience)”. [Surah al-Baqarah; 2:43] [1]

Zakāh is one of the five pillars of Islām mandated upon every Muslim. As such its recipients must also be Muslims as well. If in Ukraine, Muslim recipients can be found whom are worthy of receiving Zakāt, then Zakāt can be paid to them. However, Zakāt cannot be paid out to non-Muslims. If it is done so, then one’s Zakāt will not be considered fulfilled and will remain outstanding.

}[1]وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُواْ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱرۡكَعُواْ مَعَ ٱلرَّٰكِعِينَ {

Only Allāh Ta’ālā knows best.

Written by Mufti Mohammed Dilwar Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham