Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Can I pay my Zakah to a family member who is in debt?

· 12 Rabiʻ II 1443 AH1 min readFatwa 46216English

Question

Can I pay my Zakah to a family member who is in debt?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

In principle, Zakat cannot be given to one’s ascendants (parents, grandparents), descendants (children) or to one’s spouse.

However, it is permissible to give Zakat to

one’s sibling,

one’s paternal uncles and aunties,

one’s Maternal uncles and aunties and

their (uncles and aunties) children,

if they are entitled to receive it.

In fact, the fuqaha (jurists) state it is better to give Zakat to one’s family members when they are in need. The dispenser of Zakat in such a case receives double reward; one reward for fulfilling the need of a person and secondly, the act of maintaining one’s family ties.[i][i]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Mohammed

Student Darul Iftaa

UK

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.

(2020-09-25)

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[ii][i])البناية شرح الهداية، ٢٠٠/٤)

وأما الأخوة والأخوات والأعمام والعمات والأخوال والخالات وأولادهم فلا بأس بدفع الزكاة إليهم، وذكر الزندويسني أن الأفضل في مصرف الزكاة المال إلى هؤلاء السبعة، أخوته وأخواته الفقراء، ثم أولادهم ثم أعمامه وعماته الفقراء، ثم أخواله وخالاته الفقراء، ثم ذوو أرحامهم ثم جيرانه ثم أهل سكنه ثم أهل مصره. (ج 4 ص 200 المكتبة الحقانية)

درر الحكام شرح غرر الأحكام (1/ 189)

(وَلَا) إلَى (مَنْ بَيْنَهُمَا وِلَادٌ) أَيْ أَصْلُهُ وَإِنْ عَلَا وَفَرْعُهُ وَإِنْ سَفَلَ (أَوْ زَوْجِيَّةٌ) أَيْ لَا يُعْطِي زَوْجٌ زَوْجَتَهُ وَلَا زَوْجَةٌ زَوْجَهَا لِلِاشْتِرَاكِ فِي الْمَنَافِعِ عَادَةً

حاشية ابن عابدين (٣٥٤/٢)

وَالْأَفْضَلُ إخْوَتُهُ وَأَخَوَاتُهُ ثُمَّ أَوْلَادُهُمْ ثُمَّ أَعْمَامُهُ وَعَمَّاتُهُ ثُمَّ أَخْوَالُهُ وَخَالَاتُهُ ثُمَّ ذَوُو أَرْحَامِهِ ثُمَّ جِيرَانُهُ ثُمَّ أَهْلُ سِكَّتِهِ ثُمَّ أَهْلُ بَلَدِهِ كَمَا فِي النَّظْمِ

فتح باب العناية بشرح النقاية (١٧٠/٢)

والأَفضل صَرْفُها إِلى إِخوته، ثُم أَعمامه، ثُم أَخواله، ثُم ذوي أَرحامه، ثُم جيرانِهِ، (ثُم أَهْل سَكَنِهِ)، ثم أَهل محلّته، ثُم أَهل مصره.

فتاوى محمودية (٥٣٩/٩)

Answered by
Mohammed
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
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Questions about this ruling, answered only from the archive with sources.

Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.

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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/46216
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-46216

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