Withholding the zakah of wealth and trading in it
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Fatwa No. ( 21499 )
Q: I work as a merchant, and for a long time, I have been collecting the zakah that is obligatory upon me, as well as what I wish to give voluntarily, in a separate account. I also add to it the zakah and voluntary contributions I collect from some friends.
Then I provide this money to the needy as a loan to them, and I file complaints against those who do not repay the debt, which leads to their being investigated by the police, and in some cases, arrested. In reality, when they took that money, they were among those eligible to receive charity. Is it permissible for me to do this? Knowing that my intention is to provide this money to other needy people for the same purpose, so that the number of beneficiaries increases in this way. Also, there are still large amounts owed as debt to others for the benefit of the same account. What should I do in this regard? Please issue a ruling, and may you receive abundant thanks.
A : It is not permissible for you to withhold your zakah, nor the zakah of others that you were entrusted to distribute, past the time for paying the zakah, which is the completion of the lunar year of possession of the wealth subject to zakah. Rather, it is obligatory to pay the zakah immediately. It is not permissible for you to trade with the zakah, whether it is yours or that of others. Rather, you must pay it to the poor as soon as it becomes obligatory. You must immediately pay out the amount of zakah corresponding to the sums in the debts of people, and the debt in the debts of people becomes yours. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I work as a merchant, and for a long time, I have been collecting the zakah that is obligatory upon me, as well as what I wish to give voluntarily, in a separate account. I also add to it the zakah and voluntary contributions I collect from some friends.
Then I provide this money to the needy as a loan to them, and I file complaints against those who do not repay the debt, which leads to their being investigated by the police, and in some cases, arrested. In reality, when they took that money, they were among those eligible to receive charity. Is it permissible for me to do this? Knowing that my intention is to provide this money to other needy people for the same purpose, so that the number of beneficiaries increases in this way. Also, there are still large amounts owed as debt to others for the benefit of the same account. What should I do in this regard? Please issue a ruling, and may you receive abundant thanks.
A : It is not permissible for you to withhold your zakah, nor the zakah of others that you were entrusted to distribute, past the time for paying the zakah, which is the completion of the lunar year of possession of the wealth subject to zakah. Rather, it is obligatory to pay the zakah immediately. It is not permissible for you to trade with the zakah, whether it is yours or that of others. Rather, you must pay it to the poor as soon as it becomes obligatory. You must immediately pay out the amount of zakah corresponding to the sums in the debts of people, and the debt in the debts of people becomes yours. 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.