Fatwa ID: 02889

Answered by:  Moulana Imran Mughal

Question:

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah

Can Zakat be paid in paying the debt of a person,

A needy man owes some money to another person, and you transfer the due amount from your account to that person to clear him off?

Is Zakat paid?

The needy person didn't own the money or take possession of the money?

   بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

                                                         In the name of ALLAH the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Answer:

Assalamualaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh

Zakat can be paid to a person in debt.

It is part of the conditions of Zakat that the money is handed over to the actual person in need and that person assumes possession of the Zakat money.

Therefore, in this scenario, if a person were to pay directly to the person owed money to and not the needy person himself, zakat will not be fulfilled.

This is in the case where the person paying the zakat did so with no command from the one in debt.

However, if the person in debt were to command the person giving zakat to give it directly to whoever the money is owed to, then zakat will be fulfilled.[1]

Only Allah SWT alone knows best.

Written by Moulana Imran Mughal

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham