Giving zakah to a son to pay off a debt
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Fatwa No. (18353)
Q: I have a son who is an employee. He set up a commercial shop next to his workplace to sell clothes. He incurred a large expense in it, and I lent him half of it from my money, which belongs to all my heirs. This shop was not successful, and he did not recover half of what he spent. My son is unable to pay the rights of the people and my debt, and his inability is such that its resolution is not expected, as is apparent in the market, to the extent that he pays half of his salary in repayment, and he cannot do so even if he continues in this state for three years. Is it permissible for me to give him from the charity collected at my place an amount
with which he can pay off some of the creditors and repay the amount I gave him? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good. Note that this son is married and supports a family of 6 members.
A : It is not permissible for a father to give his zakah to his son; because zakah is not permissible for descendants or ascendants; and because his maintenance is obligatory upon you. However, there is no harm in helping him with something other than zakah to pay off his debt; due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 4946Sahih (Al-Albani) . And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a son who is an employee. He set up a commercial shop next to his workplace to sell clothes. He incurred a large expense in it, and I lent him half of it from my money, which belongs to all my heirs. This shop was not successful, and he did not recover half of what he spent. My son is unable to pay the rights of the people and my debt, and his inability is such that its resolution is not expected, as is apparent in the market, to the extent that he pays half of his salary in repayment, and he cannot do so even if he continues in this state for three years. Is it permissible for me to give him from the charity collected at my place an amount
with which he can pay off some of the creditors and repay the amount I gave him? Please inform us, may Allah reward you with good. Note that this son is married and supports a family of 6 members.
A : It is not permissible for a father to give his zakah to his son; because zakah is not permissible for descendants or ascendants; and because his maintenance is obligatory upon you. However, there is no harm in helping him with something other than zakah to pay off his debt; due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
If anyone removes his brother’s anxiety of this world, Allah will remove for him one of the anxieties of the Day of resurrection
من نفس عن مسلم كربة من كرب الدنيا نفس الله عنه كربة من كرب يوم القيامة
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.