The ruling on giving zakah to relatives whose circumstances are unknown

Question:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is it permissible for me to give zakah to some of my relatives, even though their outward situation appears good compared to people at their level, since their children are in university, but I do not know their income? Is it permissible for me to give them zakah?

Answer:
That they are entitled to it, and that their income is not sufficient for them. As for if you do not know, and they have an income and children who are taking care of them, it is not permissible for you to give them zakah, because Allah the Exalted has specified zakah for the poor and the needy and the other categories mentioned in the verse. As for if you do not know that he is from these categories, it is not permissible for you to give to him, because it is obligatory in your liability, and your liability is not cleared except with certainty that you, or knowledge that you, or the belief that you, placed it in its prescribed place.