Fatwa ID: 09292
Answered by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Question:
Zakat question.
Someone in Canada used Remitly (an international money transfer program) to send their zakat to someone in Africa.
Remitly offers a $30 discount on the first transfer.
The person sent $1000 in zakat to the recipient, and Remitly charged him 970 (due to the discount), but gave the recipient the $1000.
Does he have to give the remaining $30 still?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thank you for your question. We ask Allah ﷻ to grant us correctness in fulfilling the obligation of Zakat and to accept it from us with sincerity. Allah ﷻ says:
۞ إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـٰرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
“The Sadaqāt (prescribed alms) are (meant) only to be given to the poor, the needy, to those employed to collect them, to those whose hearts are to be won, in the cause of the slaves and those encumbered with debt, in the way of Allah and to a wayfarer. This is an obligation prescribed by Allah. Allah is All-Knowing, Wise.” (Surah al Tawbah 9 60)
Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and other specified categories as an obligation from Allah ﷻ.
The essential condition in Zakat is that the required amount reaches the ownership of a valid recipient. The obligation is fulfilled when the eligible recipient receives the full Zakat amount with the intention of Zakat from the giver.
In this case:
- The person intended to give 1000 dollars as Zakat
- The recipient received 1000 dollars in full
- The transfer company applied a promotional discount and only charged the sender 970 dollars
The 30 dollar discount was not deducted from the Zakat amount. It was a reduction in service cost given by the company. The recipient still received the full 1000 dollars. Therefore, The Zakat obligation has been fully discharged. He does not need to give an additional 30 dollars.
The key principle is that the poor person received the full 1000 dollars in ownership. The fact that the sender personally paid only 970 due to a company promotion does not invalidate the Zakat, because the full Zakat amount reached the recipient.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Mufti Mohammad Ateiq-ur Rehman
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
، وَتَسْلِيمُ ذَلِكَ إلَيْهِ يَقْطَعُ الْمَالِكُ يَدَهُ عَنْهُ بِتَمْلِيكِهِ مِنْ الْفَقِيرِ وَتَسْلِيمِهِ إلَيْهِ أَوْ إلَى يَدِ مَنْ هُوَ نَائِبٌ عَنْهُ وَهُوَ الْمُصْدِقُ وَالْمِلْكُ لِلْفَقِيرِ يَثْبُتُ مِنْ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَصَاحِبُ الْمَالِ نَائِبٌ عَنْ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي التَّمْلِيكِ وَالتَّسْلِيمِ إلَى الْفَقِيرِ وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَوْله تَعَالَى: ﴿أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَأْخُذُ الصَّدَقَاتِ﴾ [التوبة: ١٠٤] ، وَقَوْلُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ «الصَّدَقَةُ تَقَعُ فِي يَدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَقَعَ فِي كَفِّ الْفَقِيرِ» وَقَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الْمُلَّاكَ بِإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ لِقَوْلِهِ عَزْو جَلَّ: ﴿وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ﴾ [البقرة: ٤٣] وَالْإِيتَاءُ هُوَ التَّمْلِيكُ؛
كتاب بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع 2:39
وَإِنْ كَانَ لَا يَثْبُتُ التَّمْلِيكُ مِنْ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى قَصْدًا فَيَأْخُذُ التَّمْلِيكُ مِنْ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى حُكْمَ التَّمْلِيكِ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ حَتَّى يُشْتَرَطَ فِيهِ التَّسْلِيمُ وَالْقَبْضُ
كتاب العناية شرح الهداية – بهامش فتح القدير ط الحلبي 2:106