Paying zakah on behalf of a deceased person who left no estate to settle his debt
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Fatwa No. ( 13910 )
Q: We have a cooperative association, and the residents deal with it using both cash and credit. One of its clients died in a car accident and did not pay the money he owed to the association. The person in question has no money and no children, other than a job with a monthly salary, and he has no rights or pension. Is it permissible for us to pay his debt from the association's zakah? Please note that the zakah is paid to the Zakat and Income Authority under the Ministry of Finance.
A: It is permissible for you to pay from the zakah on behalf of the deceased to settle his debt to the association. Paying zakah on behalf of a deceased person who did not leave an estate from which his debt could be settled is permissible according to the more correct of the two opinions of the scholars; this is due to the generality of the evidence indicating the permissibility of distributing zakah to those in debt. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) chose this opinion. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We have a cooperative association, and the residents deal with it using both cash and credit. One of its clients died in a car accident and did not pay the money he owed to the association. The person in question has no money and no children, other than a job with a monthly salary, and he has no rights or pension. Is it permissible for us to pay his debt from the association's zakah? Please note that the zakah is paid to the Zakat and Income Authority under the Ministry of Finance.
A: It is permissible for you to pay from the zakah on behalf of the deceased to settle his debt to the association. Paying zakah on behalf of a deceased person who did not leave an estate from which his debt could be settled is permissible according to the more correct of the two opinions of the scholars; this is due to the generality of the evidence indicating the permissibility of distributing zakah to those in debt. The Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) chose this opinion. 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.