Ruling on spending zakah on buying gifts for children

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, a woman says that she has been accustomed, on every festival, to take a sum of money as charity and use it to buy toys and festival sweets, which she then distributes to the children of the poor. What is your opinion if her husband gives her some of his zakah money with the intention of helping her make these purchases? Is it permissible to dispose of zakah money in this manner?

Answer:
As for paying it to the poor and those who are entitled to it, there is no harm in doing so during the festival or at any other time, provided it is given to the eligible recipients of zakah. However, if it is given on the occasion of the festival for the sake of celebration, whether the children’s celebration or the people’s celebration, without regard for the poor, then this is not suitable for zakah; this does not count as zakah. This is the verse, and the “charities” referred to here are the zakah. Zakah is restricted to its eight categories of recipients. As for other donations and voluntary charities, those are different.
So these voluntary charities are given to the poor, even if they are voluntary. As for donations and gifts, gifts are permissible for both the rich and the poor; a gift is permissible for the rich person and for the poor person, because the intention behind it is to establish love in hearts. Gifts are prescribed for the rich and for the poor. As for charities, whether voluntary or obligatory, they are only for the poor. Yes.

The presenter:
May Allah reward you