Writing off debts owed by those in financial difficulty and counting them as zakah
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Fatwa number ( 14661 )
Q: I have a question regarding the fact that I am a creditor to people who were wealthy, but then became poor and unable to pay, and they could not settle the amounts owed to them. Some of them have certificates of financial difficulty, or it is well known about them through custom or their relatives, or some trustworthy people testify to their financial difficulty. Is it permissible for me to write off these debts owed to me by these people in financial difficulty and count them as part of the zakah funds owed from me, especially since I have overdue zakah from several years, and I do not currently have the liquidity to pay it off; as a result of some debtors delaying in paying the amounts owed to them. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and does this ruling fall under the ruling of the noble verse from Surat al-Baqarah number ( 279 ):[Al-Baqarah 2:280] Truthful is Allah the Mighty, and peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
A: It is not permissible for you to write off the debts owed to you by those in financial difficulty and count them as zakah; because that is protecting one’s wealth with one’s wealth. 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 question regarding the fact that I am a creditor to people who were wealthy, but then became poor and unable to pay, and they could not settle the amounts owed to them. Some of them have certificates of financial difficulty, or it is well known about them through custom or their relatives, or some trustworthy people testify to their financial difficulty. Is it permissible for me to write off these debts owed to me by these people in financial difficulty and count them as part of the zakah funds owed from me, especially since I have overdue zakah from several years, and I do not currently have the liquidity to pay it off; as a result of some debtors delaying in paying the amounts owed to them. Please inform us, may Allah reward you, and does this ruling fall under the ruling of the noble verse from Surat al-Baqarah number ( 279 ):
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease. But if you give [from your right as] charity, then it is better for you, if you only knew.
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍ وَأَنْ تَصَدَّقُوا خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَA: It is not permissible for you to write off the debts owed to you by those in financial difficulty and count them as zakah; because that is protecting one’s wealth with one’s wealth. 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.