If a woman spends on her children, is she required to pay zakah?
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Fatwa No. ( 17613 )
Q: I am aware that there is a legal principle that permits spending zakah al-mal on those for whom the payer is not obligated to provide financial maintenance. Since I am the mahram of my wife and she is employed, can the amount spent from her earnings be counted toward her zakah al-mal, even if the entire zakah is spent on the children, given that she is not obligated to provide their maintenance from her wealth, and that the father is obligated to provide it?
A: If your wife spends her salaries and does not have any amount remaining that reaches the nisab for a lunar year, then she owes no zakah. However, if she has money from her salaries or other sources that reaches the nisab for a lunar year, then zakah becomes obligatory upon her. But it is not permissible for her to spend the zakah on her children; because the father’s zakah is not permissible for his child, and the same applies in the reverse case. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I am aware that there is a legal principle that permits spending zakah al-mal on those for whom the payer is not obligated to provide financial maintenance. Since I am the mahram of my wife and she is employed, can the amount spent from her earnings be counted toward her zakah al-mal, even if the entire zakah is spent on the children, given that she is not obligated to provide their maintenance from her wealth, and that the father is obligated to provide it?
A: If your wife spends her salaries and does not have any amount remaining that reaches the nisab for a lunar year, then she owes no zakah. However, if she has money from her salaries or other sources that reaches the nisab for a lunar year, then zakah becomes obligatory upon her. But it is not permissible for her to spend the zakah on her children; because the father’s zakah is not permissible for his child, and the same applies in the reverse case. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.