The Intended Meaning of "In the Cause of Allah" in the Distribution of Zakah
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Fatwa No. ( 1071 )
Q: It is not hidden from Your Eminence the obligation of engaging in the call to Allah among Muslims and non-Muslims, and that the responsibility of preserving the Islam of Muslim expatriates, calling them to adhere to their religion, and warning them against the snares of Crusaderism and permissiveness is obligatory upon the capable among Muslims. Allah willed that a group of young Muslims study in America and, through practical experience, became aware of the reality of Muslim student expatriates in America and the schemes of Satan and his allies surrounding them, as well as trials as dark as the night. Allah has blessed a group of these young Muslims by bringing them together and making a covenant to call to Allah in America and to exert their efforts to enlighten Muslim youth and students about their religion, whether they are residing temporarily, such as students, or permanently in America
like workers. These individuals agreed to establish an association called (The Federation of Muslim Students in the United States and Canada ), as work in America requires a framework recognized by the government. This establishment took place in 1962 CE, and it was founded by five individuals from among the students and teachers. By the praise of Allah, it has now expanded until the number of its members exceeds five thousand Muslim students, Arab and non-Arab alike. It also has one hundred and fifty branches in universities and higher scientific institutes. The Federation funds its activities through member subscriptions and donations from benefactors and subscribers. However, these donations are very few compared to the needs of Islamic work in America ; because there are no fixed resources for spending on the Federation's efforts in calling to Allah, and the zakah of Muslims in America is far less than what is needed to meet the demands of its many activities; because the fields of work in America are very diverse, from printing Islamic books to sending Islamic newsletters to members and others, to visiting prisoners and calling them to Islam, which has resulted in the Islam of a large number of prisoners and the improvement of their conditions and their repentance, which surprised the American officials. Approximately one hundred people enter the religion of Allah every month. Conferences for the call and debates with those who oppose Islam, such as priests and Jews and others, are held on television, radio, and in newspapers, as well as public meetings and other similar efforts. Since the main obstacle to Islamic work in America and Canada is the financial funding that enables
the Federation to expand its activities to include a large number of the sons of Islamic countries whom the disbelievers want to corrupt and detach from their nation and religion, so that after their studies they return to assume leadership positions in their Muslim countries with Islamic names but Western minds. What makes the Federation's task truly difficult is that the number of these Muslim students studying in America reaches 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand) students. Based on this, I, on behalf of the Federation of Muslim Students in the United States and Canada , request the kindness of answering the following inquiry: Is it permissible to distribute zakah to the Federation of Muslim Students so that it can spend it on its work, which is the call to Allah? I request the kindness of answering this inquiry. May Allah reward you and guide you, and peace be upon you.
A: The Committee of Senior Scholars of the Saudi Kingdom has previously examined this issue and issued a decision clarifying the ruling. The Committee is content to mention its content below, as it contains the answer to this inquiry: (After reviewing what the Permanent Committee prepared regarding the statements of scholars in clarifying the intended meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted in the verse on the recipients of zakah:[At-Tawbah 9:60] and studying the evidence for each opinion, and discussing the evidence of those who interpreted the intended meaning of "in the cause of Allah" in the verse as the warriors and what is necessary for them specifically for the expedition, and the evidence of those who expanded the intended meaning and did not restrict it to
the warriors, but included in it the building of mosques and bridges, teaching and learning knowledge, and sending preachers and guides, among other works of righteousness and their forms. The majority of the Committee members saw it appropriate to adopt the opinion of the majority of scholars, including exegetes, hadith scholars, and jurists, that the intended meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:60] in the verse on the recipients of zakah is the voluntary warriors in their expedition, and what is necessary for their preparation. If they are not found, the zakah is distributed entirely to whatever is found among its other recipients. It is not permissible to distribute it to any of the public facilities, such as the building of mosques and bridges and the like, unless there is no recipient from the eight categories specified in the verse on the recipients of zakah. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Q: It is not hidden from Your Eminence the obligation of engaging in the call to Allah among Muslims and non-Muslims, and that the responsibility of preserving the Islam of Muslim expatriates, calling them to adhere to their religion, and warning them against the snares of Crusaderism and permissiveness is obligatory upon the capable among Muslims. Allah willed that a group of young Muslims study in America and, through practical experience, became aware of the reality of Muslim student expatriates in America and the schemes of Satan and his allies surrounding them, as well as trials as dark as the night. Allah has blessed a group of these young Muslims by bringing them together and making a covenant to call to Allah in America and to exert their efforts to enlighten Muslim youth and students about their religion, whether they are residing temporarily, such as students, or permanently in America
like workers. These individuals agreed to establish an association called (The Federation of Muslim Students in the United States and Canada ), as work in America requires a framework recognized by the government. This establishment took place in 1962 CE, and it was founded by five individuals from among the students and teachers. By the praise of Allah, it has now expanded until the number of its members exceeds five thousand Muslim students, Arab and non-Arab alike. It also has one hundred and fifty branches in universities and higher scientific institutes. The Federation funds its activities through member subscriptions and donations from benefactors and subscribers. However, these donations are very few compared to the needs of Islamic work in America ; because there are no fixed resources for spending on the Federation's efforts in calling to Allah, and the zakah of Muslims in America is far less than what is needed to meet the demands of its many activities; because the fields of work in America are very diverse, from printing Islamic books to sending Islamic newsletters to members and others, to visiting prisoners and calling them to Islam, which has resulted in the Islam of a large number of prisoners and the improvement of their conditions and their repentance, which surprised the American officials. Approximately one hundred people enter the religion of Allah every month. Conferences for the call and debates with those who oppose Islam, such as priests and Jews and others, are held on television, radio, and in newspapers, as well as public meetings and other similar efforts. Since the main obstacle to Islamic work in America and Canada is the financial funding that enables
the Federation to expand its activities to include a large number of the sons of Islamic countries whom the disbelievers want to corrupt and detach from their nation and religion, so that after their studies they return to assume leadership positions in their Muslim countries with Islamic names but Western minds. What makes the Federation's task truly difficult is that the number of these Muslim students studying in America reaches 150,000 (one hundred and fifty thousand) students. Based on this, I, on behalf of the Federation of Muslim Students in the United States and Canada , request the kindness of answering the following inquiry: Is it permissible to distribute zakah to the Federation of Muslim Students so that it can spend it on its work, which is the call to Allah? I request the kindness of answering this inquiry. May Allah reward you and guide you, and peace be upon you.
A: The Committee of Senior Scholars of the Saudi Kingdom has previously examined this issue and issued a decision clarifying the ruling. The Committee is content to mention its content below, as it contains the answer to this inquiry: (After reviewing what the Permanent Committee prepared regarding the statements of scholars in clarifying the intended meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted in the verse on the recipients of zakah:
for the cause of Allah
وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِthe warriors, but included in it the building of mosques and bridges, teaching and learning knowledge, and sending preachers and guides, among other works of righteousness and their forms. The majority of the Committee members saw it appropriate to adopt the opinion of the majority of scholars, including exegetes, hadith scholars, and jurists, that the intended meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
for the cause of Allah
وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.