Is it permissible for someone who is not in need to take zakah?

Question : Shaykh Muhammad, we have a woman on the line asking for clarification. She says that she has an elderly mother who usually receives zakah from those who visit them, and this elderly mother spends the money she receives on the household needs. What is required of the family of this mother? In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment.

Answer : If the head of the household spends on the house, it is not permissible for her to take zakah in order to spend on the house, because the house is self-sufficient. However, if he is poor, meaning the head of the household, there is no harm in her taking this zakah to spend it on the essential needs of the house.