Fatwa ID: 06625

Answered by: Maulana Yūsuf Badāt

Question:

Any write-up on the ‘correct method’ of utilizing zakāh funds on students of knowledge?

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

Answer:

Poor Muslim parents [who do not possess niṣāb and are eligible for zakāh] who have minor children that are students, can receive zakāh. With that zakāh, the parents can pay their children’s fees for studies and education.

As far as adult Muslim students are concerned, if they meet the requirement of being eligible for zakāh, they can also be given zakāh which subsequently can be spent on education.

An Islamic institution that receives zakāh for distribution can utilize zakāh funds for zakāh eligible students. – (See: Qur’ān: 9:60¹, Rad Al-Muḥtār, Vol 2, Page 339²)

Only Allāh knows the best

Written by Maulana Yūsuf Badāt

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

1 إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ – سورة التوبة ٦٠

2 إنَّ الْمُرَادَ التَّمْيِيزُ بَيْنَ الْفَقِيرِ وَالْمِسْكِينِ لِرَدِّ مَا قِيلَ إنَّهُمَا صِنْفٌ وَاحِدٌ لَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَبَيْنَ الْغَنِيِّ لِلْعِلْمِ بِتَحَقُّقِ عَدَمِ الْغِنَى فِيهِمَا أَيْ عَدَمِ مِلْكِ النِّصَابِ النَّامِي فَذَكَرَ أَنَّ الْمِسْكِينَ مَنْ لَا شَيْءَ لَهُ أَصْلًا وَالْفَقِيرُ مَنْ يَمْلِكُ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ قَلَّ فَاقْتِصَارُهُ عَلَى الْأَدْنَى لِأَنَّهُ غَايَةُ مَا يَحْصُلُ بِهِ التَّمْيِيزُ وَالْحَاصِلُ أَنَّ الْمُرَادَ هُنَا الْفَقِيرُ لِلْمِسْكِينِ لَا لِلْغَنِيِّ قَوْلُهُ أَيْ دُونَ نِصَابٍ أَيْ نَامٍ فَاضِلٌ عَنْ الدَّيْنِ فَلَوْ مَدْيُونًا فَهُوَ مَصْرِفٌ كَمَا يَأْتِي قَوْلُهُ مُسْتَغْرِقٌ فِي الْحَاجَةِ كَدَارِ السُّكْنَى وَعَبِيدِ الْخِدْمَةِ وَثِيَابِ الْبِذْلَةِ وَآلَاتِ الْحِرْفَةِ وَكُتُبِ الْعِلْمِ لِلْمُحْتَاجِ إلَيْهَا تَدْرِيسًا أَوْ حِفْظًا أَوْ تَصْحِيحًا كَمَا مَرَّ أَوَّلَ الزَّكَاةِ – كتاب الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين رد المحتار ج٢/ ٣٣٩ دار الفكر