Is it permissible to give some of the zakah to Afghanistan?
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The questioner : The eighth of the zakah, the zakah of our wealth, is it permissible to give the eighth to the mujahideen from the Afghans?
The Shaykh : What did you say, the eighth?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Why did you specify the eighth? Why didn't you say all the zakah—for example? Is there something intended, or is that just how it is?
The questioner : Because the zakah came divided into eight parts, so some people said we divide it into parts, at the very least, but the least that is divided is the eighth?
The Shaykh : There is no specification; this is permissible absolutely in our view. But this specification is consistent with, or stems from, those who say that it is obligatory to distribute the zakah to the eight categories, and it is not permissible to distribute the zakah to one category. There is no evidence for this, so it is permissible without this restriction or this division.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What is obligatory is that you give the zakah to a recipient from these eight categories, so you have a choice, yes.
The questioner : It was reported from you that you make zakah obligatory for the mujahideen, so the least part of it is the eighth, so that we are free from the obligation.
The Shaykh : No, no, I mean that zakah is obligatory in the sense that they are eligible for zakah, as long as they are fighting in the cause of Allah. But I do not mean that, for example, you have a poor person you know is poor, and that it is not permissible for you to give this poor person, but rather you distribute all your zakah to the mujahideen. I do not mean that.
The Shaykh : What did you say, the eighth?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Why did you specify the eighth? Why didn't you say all the zakah—for example? Is there something intended, or is that just how it is?
The questioner : Because the zakah came divided into eight parts, so some people said we divide it into parts, at the very least, but the least that is divided is the eighth?
The Shaykh : There is no specification; this is permissible absolutely in our view. But this specification is consistent with, or stems from, those who say that it is obligatory to distribute the zakah to the eight categories, and it is not permissible to distribute the zakah to one category. There is no evidence for this, so it is permissible without this restriction or this division.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : What is obligatory is that you give the zakah to a recipient from these eight categories, so you have a choice, yes.
The questioner : It was reported from you that you make zakah obligatory for the mujahideen, so the least part of it is the eighth, so that we are free from the obligation.
The Shaykh : No, no, I mean that zakah is obligatory in the sense that they are eligible for zakah, as long as they are fighting in the cause of Allah. But I do not mean that, for example, you have a poor person you know is poor, and that it is not permissible for you to give this poor person, but rather you distribute all your zakah to the mujahideen. I do not mean that.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.