The ruling on a father’s financial maintenance of his married son and his zakah
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The questioner : So, is a father obligated to provide financial maintenance for his married son if the son is not earning enough to support himself, meaning he does not bring in income? Or suppose he has none, for example.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is his obligation, yes, if he is able to do so.
The questioner : Yes. So, if he gives his zakah, is it valid for him? No, it is not valid.
The Shaykh : Unless he lives alone and is on his own.
The questioner : Definitely, he lives alone and is on his own.
The Shaykh : He is separate, meaning the father does not always provide for him; he leaves him to his own devices. But if it is his custom to provide for him, as we mentioned, then maintenance and charity do not combine.
The questioner : Yes. So, if he lives, for example, in a separate house, do we consider him distant from his father or his parent?
The Shaykh : It is not just a matter of a separate house. Look, the previous point is the key.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Suppose he lives in a house by himself, but his father pays his rent. What is the benefit of living alone?
The questioner : Of course, in this case, the father is providing for him.
The Shaykh : That is the point.
The questioner : So, he does not interfere with anything.
The Shaykh : Maintenance and zakah do not combine.
The questioner : They do not combine, meaning it is either zakah or maintenance.
The Shaykh : Of course, this is his obligation, yes, if he is able to do so.
The questioner : Yes. So, if he gives his zakah, is it valid for him? No, it is not valid.
The Shaykh : Unless he lives alone and is on his own.
The questioner : Definitely, he lives alone and is on his own.
The Shaykh : He is separate, meaning the father does not always provide for him; he leaves him to his own devices. But if it is his custom to provide for him, as we mentioned, then maintenance and charity do not combine.
The questioner : Yes. So, if he lives, for example, in a separate house, do we consider him distant from his father or his parent?
The Shaykh : It is not just a matter of a separate house. Look, the previous point is the key.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Suppose he lives in a house by himself, but his father pays his rent. What is the benefit of living alone?
The questioner : Of course, in this case, the father is providing for him.
The Shaykh : That is the point.
The questioner : So, he does not interfere with anything.
The Shaykh : Maintenance and zakah do not combine.
The questioner : They do not combine, meaning it is either zakah or maintenance.
Source
سلسلة الهدى والنور، المجلس 1357 — d3watuna.com (14:26)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.