Giving gifts to one who has recently declared his Islam to encourage him
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Fatwa number ( 20368 )
Q: What is the ruling on giving some gifts, or some cash amounts, to those who have recently declared their Islam, to win them over and encourage them in Islam, even though they are wealthy, and these funds may be from the zakah? May Allah reward you with good and do you good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
A: If those who have recently declared their Islam are among the leaders and prominent figures who are obeyed in their communities, then they are among those whose hearts are to be reconciled, whom Allah mentioned regarding whom it is permissible to distribute zakah, by His saying: the verse. It is permissible to give them from the zakah to strengthen their Islam and encourage others to enter Islam. Likewise, if they are poor, it is permissible to give them from the zakah due to their poverty.
However, gifts and the like are not to be purchased with zakah funds; rather, they are to be given from the existing zakah itself. As for voluntary charity other than zakah, it is not permissible to distribute it except in the forms of charity specified by the donor. If such people fall within what the donor specified, or if the donor authorized giving them from it, then it is permissible to do so in order to achieve the mentioned benefit. If the donor did not authorize giving them from it, or if they are not among the charitable causes specified by the donor, then it is not permissible to give them from it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: What is the ruling on giving some gifts, or some cash amounts, to those who have recently declared their Islam, to win them over and encourage them in Islam, even though they are wealthy, and these funds may be from the zakah? May Allah reward you with good and do you good, and may He benefit us with your knowledge.
A: If those who have recently declared their Islam are among the leaders and prominent figures who are obeyed in their communities, then they are among those whose hearts are to be reconciled, whom Allah mentioned regarding whom it is permissible to distribute zakah, by His saying:
and those whose hearts are to be reconciled
وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْHowever, gifts and the like are not to be purchased with zakah funds; rather, they are to be given from the existing zakah itself. As for voluntary charity other than zakah, it is not permissible to distribute it except in the forms of charity specified by the donor. If such people fall within what the donor specified, or if the donor authorized giving them from it, then it is permissible to do so in order to achieve the mentioned benefit. If the donor did not authorize giving them from it, or if they are not among the charitable causes specified by the donor, then it is not permissible to give them from it. 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.