WHOM TO PAY THE ZAKAT MONEY

WHOM TO PAY THE ZAKAT MONEY

Q.   What do we mean when we use the term “whom” in the context of the payment of Zakat?

  It means specifications of the persons who can be paid Zakat money.

Q.   Who are the persons eligible to receive the Zakat money?

  In our times the following categories of people can legitimately be given the Zakat money:

             i.     A needy person i.e., a person who has some belongings but they fall short of the minimum prescribed for Nisab;

           ii.     A pauper i.e., a person who just has nothing;

         iii.     A debtor namely, a person who owes debts to others and has no almsworthy capital free from encumbrances;

          iv.     A person “on journey” who has run short of money.

It is allowed to give him as much as would suffice for his immediate needs out of the Zakat money.

Q.   Is it allowed to give Zakat money to Islamic religious schools and institutions?

  Yes, Zakat money is allowed to be given to the students. Zakat money may also be given to the management of such institutions for spending on students.

Q.   Which people are barred from receiving alms?

  The following persons are barred from receiving alms:

             i.     Any well-to-do person, namely, a person on whom Zakat is due or such a one as has capital, over and above his actual needs provided it is equivalent in value to minimum prescribed for Nisab even though the capital is in the form of copper utensils (which are in themselves excluded from the list of almsworthy capital);

           ii.     Descendant of the Prophet (peace be on him) and Bani Hashim. The term Bani applies to the descendants of Hadrat Harith bin Abdul-Muttalib, Hadrat Ja’far, Hadrat ‘Aqil, Hadrat ‘Abbas and Hadrat ‘Ali are not allowed to receive Zakat;

         iii.     Parents, grandparents and great grandparents of the person concerned;

          iv.     Sons, daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren of such a person;

            v.     Husband and wife can neither give alms to nor receive from each other;

          vi.     An unbeliever cannot be given Zakat, and

        vii.     Minor children of a well-to-do person are also barred from receiving Zakat.

No one belonging to any one of the above categories is eligible to receive alms.

Q.   How not to spend the Zakat money?

  Zakat money cannot be spent on the following: items or things in which no person is likely to be the possessor or owner of the money so spent are not fit items for utilizing the Zakat money. Thus, no such money can be spent on the burial of the dead, liquidation of debt on behalf of a dead person, construction of a Masjid or buying necessary accessories of the Masjid as carpets, tumblers, water, etc.

Q.   Suppose there is a person who owns a house valued at a few thousand rupees. He either resides in the house itself or lives on its rent. He has no other capital and is financially hard pressed. Is it permissible for us to give Zakat money to such a one?

  Yes, giving Zakat money to him is allowed. It is because the house under question is a part of his essential needs. Nevertheless, if a person has some capital over and above his essential needs and the surplus capital is equal to the minimum almsworthy capital; such a one is not entitled to receive Zakat.

Q.   We gave alms to a supposedly deserving person. Later on it was discovered that he was one of the descendants of the Prophet (peace be on him) or was quite well-to-do or else he belonged to our line (as parents or children). Will the Zakat deemed to have been duly paid in such a case?

  Yes, it will be deemed to having been duly paid. It is not necessary to give it again.

Q.   Which people are to be preferred to be given Zakat to?

  First preference should be given to one’s kin such as sister, brother, father-in-law, son-in-law, if they are deserving. Next in preference come one’s neighbours and the people of the town who deserve it more than others. Third preference should be given to those who serve the cause of Islam such as pursuing religious education.