Fatwa ID: 08413
Written by: Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Question:
I would like to give my Zakaat to a family who does not have any income to support them throughout the year. After I calculate my Zakaat it turns out to be a big amount. I would like to take out this money and keep it separately and pay this family monthly throughout the year to support them as I fear that if I send them the entire amount, they will spend it early and again be without income. I would like to know if this arrangement is ok.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Your intention to support a needy family with your Zakat is commendable. However, when it comes to the distribution of Zakat, Islamic law requires that the ownership (tamleek) of the Zakat amount is transferred completely to eligible recipients at the time of distribution. This means the recipients must gain full control over the amount as soon as it is given, allowing them to use it as they see fit. [1]
Distributing Zakat in monthly instalments to manage the family’s financial stability, although has good intention, does not fulfil the requirement of tamleek because the entire Zakat amount is not transferred to the recipient’s ownership immediately. The recipients should have the choice to use the Zakat funds according to their choice, which includes the option to save or spend the money as needed. [2]
If you are concerned about how they will manage the finance, another option could be to provide guidance or connect them with financial planning resources to help them manage the funds more efficiently. Alternatively, you could look into reputable organisations that manage Zakat and can maintain that your Zakat is used effectively and responsibly to support those in need over a longer period, but this should be done in a way that still adheres to the principles of immediate ownership transfer. [3]
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1] الزكاة: واجبة على الحر المسلم البالغ العاقل إذا ملك نصابا ملكا تاما وحال عليه الحول وليس على صبي ولا مجنون وال مكاتب زكاة
ص51 – كتاب مختصر القدوري – كتاب الزكاة – المكتبة الشاملة
[2] (ولا يجوز أن يدفع الزكاة إلى ذمي) : لأمر الشارع بردها في فقراء المسلمين (١) (ولا يبني بها مسجد ولا يكفن بها ميت) لعدم التمليك (ولا يشتري بها رقبة تعتق) لأنه إسقاط، وليس بتمليك (ولا تدفع إلى غني) يملك قدر النصاب من أي مال كان فارغاً عن حاجته (ولا يدفع المزكي زكائه إلى أبيه وجده وإن علا ولا إلى ولده وولد ولده وإن سفل) ؛ لأن منافع الأملاك بينهم متصلة: فلا يتحقق التمليك على الكمال، (ولا إلى امرأته) للاشتراك في المنافع عادة (ولا تدفع المرأة إلى زوجها عند أبي حنيفة، وقالا: تدفع إليه) لقوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (لك أجران: أجر الصدقة
ص155 – اللباب في شرح الكتاب – باب من يجوز دفع الصدقة إليه ومن لا يجوز – المكتبة الشاملة
[3] تَعَالَى ﴿وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ﴾ وَلِقَوْلِهِ ﵊ «أَدُّوا زَكَاةَ أَمْوَالِكُمْ» وَعَلَيْهِ إجْمَاعُ الْأُمَّةِ، وَالْمُرَادُ بِالْوَاجِبِ الْفَرْضُ لِأَنَّهُ لَا شُبْهَةَ فِيهِ، وَاشْتِرَاطُ الْحُرِّيَّةِ لِأَنَّ كَمَالَ الْمِلْكِ بِهَا، وَالْعَقْلُ وَالْبُلُوغُ لِمَا نَذْكُرُهُ، وَالْإِسْلَامُ لِأَنَّ الزَّكَاةَ عِبَادَةٌ وَلَا تَتَحَقَّقُ مِنْ الْكَافِرِ، وَلَا بُدَّ مِنْ مِلْكِ مِقْدَارِ النِّصَابِ
ص154 – كتاب فتح القدير للكمال بن الهمام ط الحلبي – كتاب الزكاة – المكتبة الشاملة
