Is it permissible to give zakat al-mal to the son's wife or the daughter's husband if they are in dire need? And who are those to whom zakat is given?
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The questioner : Is it permissible to give zakat al-mal to the son's wife or the daughter's husband if he is in dire need? And who are those to whom zakat al-mal is given?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Those to whom zakat is given are eight categories mentioned by Allah the Exalted in His saying:[At-Tawbah 9:60] As for the poor and the needy, they are those who do not find enough for themselves and those they support for a year. However, the poor are in greater need than the needy, so these people are given from the zakat what suffices them and those they support for a year.
As for those who work on it, they are those appointed by the Imam, meaning the one in authority, to collect zakat from those who owe it and distribute it among them. They are workers on it, meaning they have authority over it. As for the private agent of the wealth owner who says to him, "O so-and-so, take my zakat and distribute it to the poor," he is not among those who work on it, because this person is an agent; he is a worker in it, not a worker on it.
As for those whose hearts are to be reconciled: they are those who have weak faith that needs strengthening with some money, so they are given from the zakat what achieves this reconciliation. Is it required that they be leaders in their people, or is it permissible even for ordinary people? There are two opinions among the scholars. Some said that the one whose heart is to be reconciled must be a leader in his people because that is more effective in impact, as when the leader is righteous and his faith is strengthened, the faith of his followers is strengthened. Others said that reconciliation is for the individual's specific benefit, so he is given it even if he is not a leader in his people. This is the stronger opinion.
As for slaves: they are the slaves who are bought from their masters with some of the zakat and then set free.
As for those in debt: they are those who have debts and cannot pay them off. So these people are paid off from the zakat. If someone asks: Is it better to give this debtor and let him pay it off himself, or is it better for me to go to his creditor and pay him? The answer is: This varies. If the debtor is trustworthy such that if we give him from the zakat he will pay off the debt with it, then it is better to give it to him and let him pay the debt himself. If the debtor is not trustworthy, meaning we fear that if we give it to him to pay his debt he will play with it and not pay the debt, then in that case we go ourselves and give his creditor from the zakat what settles his liability.
As for in the cause of Allah: it is jihad in the cause of Allah. The mujahideen are given from the zakat, and weapons are bought for them from the zakat, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Tawbah 9:60] It includes the mujahideen and what they fight with.
As for the wayfarer: he is the traveler whose journey has been cut off, meaning a man who traveled from Makkah to al-Madinah and during the journey his provisions ran out. He is given from the zakat what will get him to his home. These are the people of zakat.
As for giving zakat to the son's wife: if it is for spending on her, she is self-sufficient through her husband's spending on her, and she is not among the people of zakat. If her husband is poor, it is obligatory for her father-in-law to spend on his son and his son's wife from his own money, and in that case he does not give her from the zakat. As for if the son's wife needs money to pay off a debt on her, there is no harm in her father-in-law giving her from his zakat so she can pay off her debt.
Likewise, if it is assumed that the husband's father has only a little money that does not suffice him and his family except with hardship, it is permissible for him to give from his zakat to his son's wife, because in this situation he is not obligated to spend on his son's wife due to his inability to do so.
And likewise in the second issue?
The questioner : He said: Is it the son's wife or the daughter's husband?
The Shaykh : Likewise, the daughter's husband is permissible to be given from the zakat in all cases if he is poor, because the daughter's husband is not one upon whom her father is obligated to spend.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. This questioner, Mubarak, says: O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his Companions, and those who follow them in excellence until the Day of Judgment. Those to whom zakat is given are eight categories mentioned by Allah the Exalted in His saying:
Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاِبْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌAs for those who work on it, they are those appointed by the Imam, meaning the one in authority, to collect zakat from those who owe it and distribute it among them. They are workers on it, meaning they have authority over it. As for the private agent of the wealth owner who says to him, "O so-and-so, take my zakat and distribute it to the poor," he is not among those who work on it, because this person is an agent; he is a worker in it, not a worker on it.
As for those whose hearts are to be reconciled: they are those who have weak faith that needs strengthening with some money, so they are given from the zakat what achieves this reconciliation. Is it required that they be leaders in their people, or is it permissible even for ordinary people? There are two opinions among the scholars. Some said that the one whose heart is to be reconciled must be a leader in his people because that is more effective in impact, as when the leader is righteous and his faith is strengthened, the faith of his followers is strengthened. Others said that reconciliation is for the individual's specific benefit, so he is given it even if he is not a leader in his people. This is the stronger opinion.
As for slaves: they are the slaves who are bought from their masters with some of the zakat and then set free.
As for those in debt: they are those who have debts and cannot pay them off. So these people are paid off from the zakat. If someone asks: Is it better to give this debtor and let him pay it off himself, or is it better for me to go to his creditor and pay him? The answer is: This varies. If the debtor is trustworthy such that if we give him from the zakat he will pay off the debt with it, then it is better to give it to him and let him pay the debt himself. If the debtor is not trustworthy, meaning we fear that if we give it to him to pay his debt he will play with it and not pay the debt, then in that case we go ourselves and give his creditor from the zakat what settles his liability.
As for in the cause of Allah: it is jihad in the cause of Allah. The mujahideen are given from the zakat, and weapons are bought for them from the zakat, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
for the cause of Allah
وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِAs for the wayfarer: he is the traveler whose journey has been cut off, meaning a man who traveled from Makkah to al-Madinah and during the journey his provisions ran out. He is given from the zakat what will get him to his home. These are the people of zakat.
As for giving zakat to the son's wife: if it is for spending on her, she is self-sufficient through her husband's spending on her, and she is not among the people of zakat. If her husband is poor, it is obligatory for her father-in-law to spend on his son and his son's wife from his own money, and in that case he does not give her from the zakat. As for if the son's wife needs money to pay off a debt on her, there is no harm in her father-in-law giving her from his zakat so she can pay off her debt.
Likewise, if it is assumed that the husband's father has only a little money that does not suffice him and his family except with hardship, it is permissible for him to give from his zakat to his son's wife, because in this situation he is not obligated to spend on his son's wife due to his inability to do so.
And likewise in the second issue?
The questioner : He said: Is it the son's wife or the daughter's husband?
The Shaykh : Likewise, the daughter's husband is permissible to be given from the zakat in all cases if he is poor, because the daughter's husband is not one upon whom her father is obligated to spend.
The questioner : May Allah reward you and bless you. This questioner, Mubarak, says: O honorable Shaykh.