Is it permissible to give some of the members of the Prophet's household from the zakah of some of them?

The questioner : May Allah reward you. A questioner says: Is it permissible to give relatives of the People of the House who are not themselves of the House from the zakah, and they in turn feed their relatives who are of the People of the House, taking this from the story of Barirah?

The Shaykh : The question is understood. Yes. In any case, it appears to me, and Allah knows best, that he is asking: Is it permissible for the People of the House to be given from the zakah of the People of the House? For example, Zayd has a lot of wealth, 'Amr is poor, and both are cousins of each other, both from the People of the House. Is it permissible for this one to give his zakah to that one? This is a matter in which the scholars differed. Some scholars said that it is permissible for the People of the House to give to one another from their zakah, because one of them has no superiority over the other. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prevented the People of the House from taking zakah so that it would not be a favor or a gift from others to them. So if the zakah is from some of them to some of them, there is no harm. This is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him).
And there is no doubt that this is the stronger position, because if we say to the People of the House, "Do not take from the zakah," and they are poor, where will they eat from? They will remain poor, and their situation will force them to ask people, and they will fall into what is worse than what they were prevented from. So the stronger position in this matter is that the People of the House are permitted to take zakah if the zakah is from... what? From a person from the People of the House. Also, if we suppose that the People of the House have no other source of income, we ask another Muslim, do they take from the zakah out of necessity?
The answer is yes. There is no doubt that removing the necessity of the People of the House is more deserving than removing the necessity of others. If the People of the House have no one who donates to them and no one who gives them charity, and they have nothing, do we say to the man from the People of the House, "Die in your house?" Or do we give him from the zakah? The answer is the second.
And this is for the sake of dire necessity. So the result is that the People of the House are not permitted to take zakah; this is the default ruling. If the zakah is from some of them to some of them, it is a matter of disagreement among the scholars, and the correct view is that it is permissible. The second matter is: if the People of the House are forced to accept zakah, is it permissible for them? The answer is yes. Where will they eat from? Where will they drink from? Where will they clothe themselves from? Where will they live? If people do not send them gifts and do not give them charity, and they have nothing but the zakah, do we say to the People of the House, "Die of hunger?" No, we say, "Take it out of necessity." Do you understand me? Where is the questioner? In any case, we have now explained this, and we have previously explained that if charity is given to a person, it is his property. If he wishes to give it as a gift to any person, there is no harm. And the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) eats gifts but does not eat charity. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good.