Giving Zakah to the People of Iraq
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Are we permitted to give Zakah, or a portion of it, to the people of Iraq?
It appears that the people of Iraq are in dire need today. A person might hesitate regarding an individual he suspects is wealthy, but if it is most likely in his opinion that the person is eligible for Zakah, he should give it to him. Accordingly, there is nothing wrong with sending them some of the Zakah if you know that they are poor today, or if it is most likely that they are. However, if you know that they were wealthy in the past and perhaps poverty has befallen them, you should not send them any of the Zakah; rather, you should send to them as a form of maintaining family ties or voluntary charity. You know that maintaining family ties contains much good and great reward. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has guaranteed that He will maintain the ties of those who maintain them, and sever the ties of those who sever them.
It appears that the people of Iraq are in dire need today. A person might hesitate regarding an individual he suspects is wealthy, but if it is most likely in his opinion that the person is eligible for Zakah, he should give it to him. Accordingly, there is nothing wrong with sending them some of the Zakah if you know that they are poor today, or if it is most likely that they are. However, if you know that they were wealthy in the past and perhaps poverty has befallen them, you should not send them any of the Zakah; rather, you should send to them as a form of maintaining family ties or voluntary charity. You know that maintaining family ties contains much good and great reward. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has guaranteed that He will maintain the ties of those who maintain them, and sever the ties of those who sever them.