Does a debt fall off a poor person and is it counted as zakah?
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Fatwa No. ( 2531 )
Q: There is a man who is our cousin, and he borrowed a sum of money on his personal guarantee, and I guaranteed him. When the time for payment came, he became unable to pay and had empty hands, which forced us to pay half of his debt to his creditor, and we asked the creditor to give him time for the other half. Then the creditor demanded the rest of his right, and the debtor is still in his difficulty. Is it permissible to spend our zakah to settle what he owes the creditor, along with the fact that this would remove the guarantee from us? And if it is permissible for us to pay the rest of his debt, what is obligatory regarding what we first paid on his behalf? Because we did not pay it
as a donation, but the guarantee made it obligatory, and it became a debt on us. We ask for an answer, may Allah preserve you and benefit us with your knowledge.
A1: It is not permissible for you to pay his debt from your zakah; because in that there is a benefit for yourself and protection of your wealth; because you are the guarantor. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: There is a man who is our cousin, and he borrowed a sum of money on his personal guarantee, and I guaranteed him. When the time for payment came, he became unable to pay and had empty hands, which forced us to pay half of his debt to his creditor, and we asked the creditor to give him time for the other half. Then the creditor demanded the rest of his right, and the debtor is still in his difficulty. Is it permissible to spend our zakah to settle what he owes the creditor, along with the fact that this would remove the guarantee from us? And if it is permissible for us to pay the rest of his debt, what is obligatory regarding what we first paid on his behalf? Because we did not pay it
as a donation, but the guarantee made it obligatory, and it became a debt on us. We ask for an answer, may Allah preserve you and benefit us with your knowledge.
A1: It is not permissible for you to pay his debt from your zakah; because in that there is a benefit for yourself and protection of your wealth; because you are the guarantor. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.