Is it permissible to transfer zakah from one country to another?

The questioner : Yes, regarding zakah. Also, is it permissible to transfer it from one part of our country to another?

The Shaykh : Do you mean delaying it?

The questioner : Delaying its delivery, I put it in a place...

The Shaykh : Delaying its delivery, do you mean? Yes, if you place it in a secure location and write on it "reserved as a precaution in case the one paying zakah falls ill or dies, etc.," such that it is guaranteed to reach those poor people, then it is permissible to transfer zakah from one country to another, contrary to the position of the Shafi'is and others. This is because the hadith of Mu'adh, which they cite as evidence, is not explicit in prohibiting it. In particular, do you know the hadith of Mu'adh? I think it was when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to Yemen and said to him: Yes, that is right. So, first, this hadith does not indicate that it is not permissible to take zakah out of one country to another; because Yemen is a collection of lands, he did not say, for example, "to Sana'a," specifying a particular place. So, on one hand, on the other hand, even if he had specified it, that does not mean it is not permissible if there are poor people in another town who are, for example, more in need than the people of the first town. So, it is permissible to reserve the zakah funds to deliver them to the poor in another country. There is something else.

The questioner : There is, if you please...

The Shaykh : Yes, go ahead, until the tea arrives, no problem, yes.