The meaning of the statement "Indeed, alms are only for the poor and the needy," and the definition of the poor and the definition of the needy.
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The Shaykh : Now, first, the poor and the needy are two categories united by need, but the poor are in greater need than the needy. This is because Allah the Exalted began with them, and one begins with the most important. So, the poor, as the jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) said: "They are those who find less than half of their sufficiency". Pay attention: they are those who find less than half of their sufficiency, whether the source is continuous or fixed. For example, this man has a maghl, meaning a property that yields income, or a waqf that yields income. It yields ten thousand riyals for him in the year, and he spends twenty-one thousand riyals in the year. Is this a poor person or not? Pay attention, everyone: this is a person who has something yielding ten thousand riyals a year and spends twenty-one thousand riyals a year. He is poor because he finds less than half of his sufficiency. Accordingly, we give him what completes his sufficiency. How much do we give him in this example? We give him eleven thousand from the zakah. Now, a person has a continuous salary of two thousand riyals, meaning two thousand, but he spends three thousand riyals a month. Is he poor or not? Poor, correct?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, brothers, he has two thousand riyals and spends five thousand riyals a year. Is he poor or not?
The questioner : Poor.
The Shaykh : Now, that is three thousand riyals more than the two thousand. If he is poor, do we give him from the zakah or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : How much do we give him in this example? We want to give him what completes his year.
The questioner : Three thousand riyals.
The Shaykh : We give him thirty-six thousand.
The questioner : Per month.
The Shaykh : No, I want it for the year, because the scholars say the poor person is given what completes his expenses for a year. How much do we give him? Thirty-six thousand riyals, because his salary is two thousand, or more accurately two thousand, and he takes five thousand riyals a month. So every month he needs three thousand riyals. Multiply three by twelve, and you reach thirty-six. Clear? Now, the needy person is in a better situation than the poor person because he possesses half of the sufficiency and less than the full sufficiency. He possesses the half, but less than the sufficiency. So, for example, if a man has a maghl waqf or a maghl of properties that he rents out, which amounts to ten thousand riyals, but he needs fifteen thousand riyals in the year, do we call this a poor person or a needy person?
The questioner : A poor person.
The Shaykh : A needy person, brother, because he finds more than half of the sufficiency, so we call him a needy person.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, brothers, he has two thousand riyals and spends five thousand riyals a year. Is he poor or not?
The questioner : Poor.
The Shaykh : Now, that is three thousand riyals more than the two thousand. If he is poor, do we give him from the zakah or not?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : How much do we give him in this example? We want to give him what completes his year.
The questioner : Three thousand riyals.
The Shaykh : We give him thirty-six thousand.
The questioner : Per month.
The Shaykh : No, I want it for the year, because the scholars say the poor person is given what completes his expenses for a year. How much do we give him? Thirty-six thousand riyals, because his salary is two thousand, or more accurately two thousand, and he takes five thousand riyals a month. So every month he needs three thousand riyals. Multiply three by twelve, and you reach thirty-six. Clear? Now, the needy person is in a better situation than the poor person because he possesses half of the sufficiency and less than the full sufficiency. He possesses the half, but less than the sufficiency. So, for example, if a man has a maghl waqf or a maghl of properties that he rents out, which amounts to ten thousand riyals, but he needs fifteen thousand riyals in the year, do we call this a poor person or a needy person?
The questioner : A poor person.
The Shaykh : A needy person, brother, because he finds more than half of the sufficiency, so we call him a needy person.