What is the ruling on delaying zakah and paying it in installments to the recipients out of necessity?
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The questioner:
He says: Many Muslims pay the zakah of their wealth in the month of Ramadan. It may be in the interest, in many cases, to pay it out in kind, by purchasing foodstuffs and distributing them to the recipients. Some individuals or charitable organizations may take on the responsibility of sponsoring many families. What is the ruling on delaying the zakah, or paying it in installments to the recipients, out of necessity?
The Shaykh:
The correct view is that if he does so, he will pay it out. Many of the scholars say that it must be paid in cash. However, the correct view is that if he does so, it is in the interest, such as for orphans or women who are not good at managing their affairs, he gives them food and clothing. There is no blame on him, but he must strive to ensure the value is not reduced. He gives them the value or more, so that the value is not diminished. He must be scrupulous in providing food equal to the amount of zakah, or clothing equal to the amount of zakah. If, for example, he fears they will not manage it well, such as spendthrifts or women who may not manage it well, there is nothing wrong with it. Otherwise, the default is to hand over the cash, and the zakah should not be delayed. He should hasten to pay it when the lunar year has passed, and give it to those who are entitled to it. The agent who receives it likewise should not consume it; he should spend it on the poor and needy in the country of the one paying zakah, or in the country he has designated for him.
The questioner:
He, if Allah wills, pays it out in cash, but a charitable organization takes it, and they have many families, so throughout the year they spend it on the poor from it, meaning they complain.
The Shaykh:
They spend it on the poor and do not delay it. Whatever zakah comes in is spent on the poor who are present and available, because the poor are present. They do not set it aside for people to delay it for them; they spend it on the poor who are present and distribute it among them.
He says: Many Muslims pay the zakah of their wealth in the month of Ramadan. It may be in the interest, in many cases, to pay it out in kind, by purchasing foodstuffs and distributing them to the recipients. Some individuals or charitable organizations may take on the responsibility of sponsoring many families. What is the ruling on delaying the zakah, or paying it in installments to the recipients, out of necessity?
The Shaykh:
The correct view is that if he does so, he will pay it out. Many of the scholars say that it must be paid in cash. However, the correct view is that if he does so, it is in the interest, such as for orphans or women who are not good at managing their affairs, he gives them food and clothing. There is no blame on him, but he must strive to ensure the value is not reduced. He gives them the value or more, so that the value is not diminished. He must be scrupulous in providing food equal to the amount of zakah, or clothing equal to the amount of zakah. If, for example, he fears they will not manage it well, such as spendthrifts or women who may not manage it well, there is nothing wrong with it. Otherwise, the default is to hand over the cash, and the zakah should not be delayed. He should hasten to pay it when the lunar year has passed, and give it to those who are entitled to it. The agent who receives it likewise should not consume it; he should spend it on the poor and needy in the country of the one paying zakah, or in the country he has designated for him.
The questioner:
He, if Allah wills, pays it out in cash, but a charitable organization takes it, and they have many families, so throughout the year they spend it on the poor from it, meaning they complain.
The Shaykh:
They spend it on the poor and do not delay it. Whatever zakah comes in is spent on the poor who are present and available, because the poor are present. They do not set it aside for people to delay it for them; they spend it on the poor who are present and distribute it among them.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ ابن باز Alsheikh Binbaz»، 091 ما حكم تأخير الزكاة وتقسيطها على مستحقيها للحاجة؟ للإمام ابن باز — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.