Fatwa ID: 02445

Answered by: Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain

Question:

Can Muslims give Zakat to non-Muslims?

Answer

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Zakat is one of the pillar of Islam cannot be paid to a non-Muslim. Author of al-Hidayah said: “Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been reconciled to truth; for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer. These are eight categories. Those whose hearts have been reconciled to truth (muallafat qulubuhum) have been dropped from these, because Allah gave strength to Islam and made it free of their need and a consensus (Ijma) was arrived at on the issue.”

[See: Al-Hidayah, vol: 1, page: 333, publisher: Centerfor Excellence in Research Islamabad]

Qadhi  Sana Ullah Panipathi said, ‘Allah has established Islam with honour. Islam is not in any need of a disbeliever. Therefore, Zakat cannot be paid to any disbeliever at all. The ‘muallafat-e-quloob’ is abrogated now’ It is the opinion of Ikhramah, Malik, Thawri, Ishaq bin Rahuwaih and Abu Haniah. [See: Tafseer-e-Mazhari, commentary on Ayath 60 of sura at-Tawbah, publisher: Bangladesh Islamic Foundation]

It is not permitted to pay Zakat to a Dhimmi (Non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic state who is supposed to have entered the contact of liability, actual or implied) [See:Al-Hidayah, vol: 1, page: 335, publisher: Centerfor Excellence in Research Islamabad. Kanz al-Daqaaiq, vol:1, page: 224, publisher: Idaratul Quran wal-UloomulIslamiyyahKarachi]

Only Allah Knows Best

Written by Maulana Muhammad Afzal Hussain

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham