Fatwa ID: 06239

Answered by: Mufti Abdul Malik

Question:

Salaam, a person is in a coma and needs to be admitted to the ICU. Can zakaat funds be used on them without tawkeel?

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

Answer:

To be eligible to receive zakat, the recipient must be poor and/or needy.

Regarding the validity of the discharge of zakat, it is necessary for the deserving recipient of zakat to have ownership and possession of the wealth (tamleek). It is not permissible to merely spend zakat funds on a deserving recipient of zakat, nor spend it on their behalf without the recipient becoming the owner and having the option of spending the wealth however he/she wishes. [Al Bada’i al Sana’i, page 476, vol 2/Bahrur raiq, page 353, vol 2]

In conclusion, it is not allowed to use zakat funds on a deserving recipient of zakat without the ownership of the wealth being transferred to them. If the deserving recipient of zakat appoints someone as a representative to collect the zakat funds and spend them on their behalf then this will be allowed.

So, it will not be allowed to use zakat funds on a person in a coma without them appointing a representative to collect the zakat funds and spend them on their behalf. In such a situation, other forms of charity can be used instead.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Mufti Abdul Malik

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham