If a person has an inheritance from his father, which is one-third of a house, and he rents it out, how is its zakah calculated, and is it permissible to give it to relatives?
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The questioner : He says: If I have an inheritance from my father, which is one-third of a house, and it generates income for me from renting it out, how can I calculate its zakah annually? And is it permissible to give some money to certain relatives or friends as specific zakah, because their income is small and limited?
The Shaykh : This real estate that you have prepared for rental does not have any zakah on it, because it was not prepared for trade, but rather for exploitation. However, there is zakah on the rent if you receive it and a year passes from the contract. In that case, it is obligatory for you to pay its zakah. For example, if you rented it out in the month of Muharram, and then at the end of Dhul-Hijjah you were given the rent, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakah, because the lunar year has completed for it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if he gives you the rent during the year and you spend it before the lunar year is completed, then there is no zakah on it for you.
As for spending this zakah and other zakahs on relatives and friends, if they are eligible for it and entitled to it, then charity to relatives is both charity and maintaining family ties, and they are better than others. But if they are not entitled to zakah, then it is not permissible to spend it on them; rather, it is obligatory to spend it on those to whom Allah has obligated its distribution, in His saying:[At-Tawbah 9:60].
The questioner : Yes, may Allah bless you.
This is a message from the listener Saleh Sulayman 'Abd Allah from al-Hassa al-Mazru'iyyah.
The Shaykh : This real estate that you have prepared for rental does not have any zakah on it, because it was not prepared for trade, but rather for exploitation. However, there is zakah on the rent if you receive it and a year passes from the contract. In that case, it is obligatory for you to pay its zakah. For example, if you rented it out in the month of Muharram, and then at the end of Dhul-Hijjah you were given the rent, it is obligatory for you to pay the zakah, because the lunar year has completed for it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And if he gives you the rent during the year and you spend it before the lunar year is completed, then there is no zakah on it for you.
As for spending this zakah and other zakahs on relatives and friends, if they are eligible for it and entitled to it, then charity to relatives is both charity and maintaining family ties, and they are better than others. But if they are not entitled to zakah, then it is not permissible to spend it on them; rather, it is obligatory to spend it on those to whom Allah has obligated its distribution, in His saying:
Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
إنما الصدقات للفقراء والمساكين والعاملين عليها والمؤلفة قلوبهم وفي الرقاب والغارمين وفي سبيل الله وابن السبيل فريضة من الله والله عليم حكيمThe questioner : Yes, may Allah bless you.
This is a message from the listener Saleh Sulayman 'Abd Allah from al-Hassa al-Mazru'iyyah.