Fatwa ID: 02266
Answered by Moulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Question:
Dear Brother,
Assalamualikum,
Can I spend my zakat amount on my sister's education.
Kindly assist me in this regard.
Waiting for your reply.
Answer:
Islam teaches us that as individual who is capable of supporting the family or members of the family we should do this according to our own abilities and capabilities.
Spending and aiding our siblings its essential and its part of charity and good actions.
There are few points that we need to take in consideration in here:
- Your Sister is not dependent on anyone (Husband or Parents).
- Your Sister is in status of receiving Zakaat. In another words, she is not working or hasn’t got any savings equaling to nisaab or any gold or silver equaling to nisaab.
If the above two points are present, you will be able to aid your siblings (sister) for her education with your Zakaat money.
Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya quotes Haddadi’s Siraj al-Wahhaj as stating:
“It is best in zakat, fitr, and vows, to direct one’s money first to one’s [needy and eligible] brothers and sisters, then to their offspring, then to… [Other relatives in order of closeness]…”(Fatawa Hindiyya, Vol 1.Pg 190, Darul Kutoob Alamiyyah)
In the Hanafi School, it is both permitted and best to give zakat to one’s immediate family (besides one’s parents, children, and spouse) if they are needy, unless there are others with more obvious and urgent needs that will remain un-met.
One final point that its necessary to know is, you should give the Zakaat money to your siblings (Sister) and once she has taken ownership she can pay her education with it, or utilize it the way she wants.
‘Transferring ownership (tamlik) of a part of one’s wealth as specified by the Lawgiver to be given to a poor Muslim except one who is from the Banu Hashim… cutting off totally any material benefit returning to the giver, for the sake of Allah Most high.’ (Radd al-Mukhtar ala ‘l-Durr al-Mukhtar sharh Tanwir al-Absar Vol 3, Pg 172, Daru Alimul Kutoob)
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Moulana Javed ibn Nazir Kachhalia
Checked and Approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
