Is it permissible to give the alms of breaking the fast (zakat al-fitr) for a group of people to a single person?
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Question : Is it permissible to give the zakah of a group of people to a single person?
Answer : Yes, it is permissible for the alms of breaking the fast (zakat al-fitr) to be given as a single sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) to a group of poor people, whether they live in one residence or in multiple residences. It is also permissible to give multiple sa' to a single person, as long as his need remains. On this occasion, I would like to say that zakahs and expiations, and the like, are based on the following, my brother: The first ruling is that which specifies the amount given and the recipient.
The second category is that which specifies the recipient but not the amount given. The third category is that which specifies the amount given but not the recipient. The first example is the expiation for harm, meaning that if a person in the state of ihram shaves his head, he must do one of three things: either slaughter a sheep and distribute it to the poor, or feed six poor people, giving each poor person half a sa'. Here, the amount given is specified (the sa'), and the recipients are specified (the six poor people). If we give each person half a sa', the total amount given becomes three sa'. Or he may fast for three days. The second example, which specifies the recipient but not the amount given, is the expiation for an oath. Allah the Exalted said regarding the expiation for an oath:[Al-Ma'idah 5:89]. He did not specify (Blessed and Exalted is He) the amount of food, but He specified the number of recipients, who are ten poor people. And the third example is:
that which specifies the amount given but not the recipient, which is the alms of breaking the fast (zakat al-fitr). The alms is specified as a sa', but the recipient is not specified. Based on this, we say that it is permissible to give a sa' to a group, and it is permissible to give multiple sa' to a single person.
Answer : Yes, it is permissible for the alms of breaking the fast (zakat al-fitr) to be given as a single sa' (a dry measure of about 3 kg) to a group of poor people, whether they live in one residence or in multiple residences. It is also permissible to give multiple sa' to a single person, as long as his need remains. On this occasion, I would like to say that zakahs and expiations, and the like, are based on the following, my brother: The first ruling is that which specifies the amount given and the recipient.
The second category is that which specifies the recipient but not the amount given. The third category is that which specifies the amount given but not the recipient. The first example is the expiation for harm, meaning that if a person in the state of ihram shaves his head, he must do one of three things: either slaughter a sheep and distribute it to the poor, or feed six poor people, giving each poor person half a sa'. Here, the amount given is specified (the sa'), and the recipients are specified (the six poor people). If we give each person half a sa', the total amount given becomes three sa'. Or he may fast for three days. The second example, which specifies the recipient but not the amount given, is the expiation for an oath. Allah the Exalted said regarding the expiation for an oath:
So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them
فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ مِنْ أَوْسَطِ مَا تُطْعِمُونَ أَهْلِيكُمْ أَوْ كِسْوَتُهُمْthat which specifies the amount given but not the recipient, which is the alms of breaking the fast (zakat al-fitr). The alms is specified as a sa', but the recipient is not specified. Based on this, we say that it is permissible to give a sa' to a group, and it is permissible to give multiple sa' to a single person.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 967- هل يجوز اعطاء زكاة الفطر مجموعة اشخاص لشخص واحد؟/سؤال على الهاتف 📞 /ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
