Is it permissible to give someone from the zakah when the evidence indicates that he is not in need?
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Mashhur: Narrow down the question, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
Mashhur: A brother says, "I am in need and I have the right to take from the zakah." His brothers looked into his situation and found that the evidence surrounding him—his clothing, his vehicle, his house, and his furniture—indicates that he is not in need. So, whose ruling is it: the evidence, or his words?
The Shaykh : My brother, by "them," do you mean the ones whom Allah has blessed?
Mashhur: The brothers who give him; brothers who give him from their own wealth.
The Shaykh : Ah, from their own wealth.
Mashhur: From their own wealth, the zakah of their wealth. So they were disturbed when they learned something of his situation. When they mixed with him and visited him, they saw the furniture he had, and they saw that he does not take a taxi for his errands, and his clothing is of the most expensive kind. It occurred to them that this giving is not permissible for him to take.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, the answer has already been given, O Professor. May Allah forgive you. I said earlier that we may give to a poor man who is actually rich, but that has not become apparent to us.
The questioner : Okay, do we continue to give him, Shaykh?
The Shaykh: Be patient. We may give to him, and in reality he is rich, so it is forbidden for him and lawful for us. And the opposite: it appears to us that he is rich, so we do not give to him. If the picture you are describing is this, then the answer has already been given, just as it came in the authentic hadith that you know: This is the meaning of the hadith, for my memory of it is very distant. He said, so the Messenger said: And he mentioned here the one who gave charity to his father: Yes.
The questioner : .
The Shaykh : Yes. So when the poor man heard the news, the people started talking about a rich man, saying, "About a rich man." I did not intend the rich man, but deeds are by intentions. So the matter is very clear. This man’s appearance, his clothing, and so on, made me feel that he is rich. If he said, "I am poor," I would not give to him; I would not be at ease with it. Okay, someone else.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
Mashhur: A brother says, "I am in need and I have the right to take from the zakah." His brothers looked into his situation and found that the evidence surrounding him—his clothing, his vehicle, his house, and his furniture—indicates that he is not in need. So, whose ruling is it: the evidence, or his words?
The Shaykh : My brother, by "them," do you mean the ones whom Allah has blessed?
Mashhur: The brothers who give him; brothers who give him from their own wealth.
The Shaykh : Ah, from their own wealth.
Mashhur: From their own wealth, the zakah of their wealth. So they were disturbed when they learned something of his situation. When they mixed with him and visited him, they saw the furniture he had, and they saw that he does not take a taxi for his errands, and his clothing is of the most expensive kind. It occurred to them that this giving is not permissible for him to take.
The Shaykh : Glory be to Allah, the answer has already been given, O Professor. May Allah forgive you. I said earlier that we may give to a poor man who is actually rich, but that has not become apparent to us.
The questioner : Okay, do we continue to give him, Shaykh?
The Shaykh: Be patient. We may give to him, and in reality he is rich, so it is forbidden for him and lawful for us. And the opposite: it appears to us that he is rich, so we do not give to him. If the picture you are describing is this, then the answer has already been given, just as it came in the authentic hadith that you know:
When a man went out one night to give charity, the people in the morning said, "So-and-so gave charity to a rich man." He said, "O Lord, and to a rich man?" So Allah, Mighty and Majestic, revealed to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
لما رجل خرج ليلة يتصدق فأصبح الناس يقولون فلان تصدق على غني يقول رب وعلى غني فالله عز وجل أوحى إلى نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلمYou have your intention
لك نيتكYou have what you intended, O Ma'
لك ما نويت يا معنThe questioner :
And you have what you took, O Yazid
ولك ما أخذت يا يزيدThe Shaykh : Yes. So when the poor man heard the news, the people started talking about a rich man, saying, "About a rich man." I did not intend the rich man, but deeds are by intentions. So the matter is very clear. This man’s appearance, his clothing, and so on, made me feel that he is rich. If he said, "I am poor," I would not give to him; I would not be at ease with it. Okay, someone else.
Source
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