The ruling on withholding zakah on the pretext of spending it on one's family

Question:
This questioner says: Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy. Honorable Shaykh, a man does not pay the zakah on his wealth, although he does not deny the two pillars of zakah. He justifies this by saying that he spends his zakah on his dependents and builds for them a future. What is the ruling in this case? And what is your advice to his sons who live off his money?

Answer:
This man is ignorant. Zakah is not to be spent on one's children, nor is it permissible for one's children, nor for one's grandchildren, nor for one's fathers and grandfathers. Zakah is to be given to the poor and the needy. As for what he spends on his children, that is obligatory upon him; that is, the maintenance of his children is obligatory upon him if they are in need of him. He must not make zakah a shield for his wealth or a substitute for the maintenance of his children. He must fear Allah, repent, and pay the past zakahs, because they remain a debt in his liability. Yes.