I paid the zakat on my cattle and gave it to my wife, considering it to be zakat, and in my opinion, she falls under the category of those who work on it, meaning she assists me in
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The questioner : I paid the zakat on my cattle and gave it to my wife, considering it to be zakat, and in my opinion, she falls within the scope of those who work on it, meaning she assists me in caring for those cows and preparing food for the workers who tend to and water those cows. Is this valid? And if it is not valid, do I have to pay that zakat again, which has been outstanding for four years? And what is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: ?
The Shaykh : The meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: is "on the zakat." What is meant by this is the group that the state appoints to collect zakat from those who are obligated to pay it and to distribute it to its rightful recipients. These are the ones who work on it. It is not meant by "those who work on it" the workers on the zakatable wealth, as this questioner assumed. Therefore, paying his zakat to his wife with this intention does not suffice him, and it is obligatory for him to return what he paid out, meaning he must pay zakat on his wealth for the year in which he paid the zakat to his wife with this intention. If he gave her one cow or two cows, he must now pay out one cow or two cows. The important thing is that he secures the zakat or secures what he paid to his wife by paying it out now.
And I advise this man and others, saying: It is obligatory for the Muslim to know the rulings of Allah the Exalted in his worship before he performs it, so that he worships Allah the Exalted with knowledge. As for worshipping Allah the Exalted in ignorance, this is a great deficiency. Perhaps he will do something that invalidates the deed without knowing it, and perhaps he will leave out something that is necessary for the deed without knowing it. So it is obligatory for a person to learn from the rulings of his religion what is needed. And Allah is the One to be asked for help.
and those who collect it
وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَاThe Shaykh : The meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
and those who collect it
وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَاAnd I advise this man and others, saying: It is obligatory for the Muslim to know the rulings of Allah the Exalted in his worship before he performs it, so that he worships Allah the Exalted with knowledge. As for worshipping Allah the Exalted in ignorance, this is a great deficiency. Perhaps he will do something that invalidates the deed without knowing it, and perhaps he will leave out something that is necessary for the deed without knowing it. So it is obligatory for a person to learn from the rulings of his religion what is needed. And Allah is the One to be asked for help.