And may Allah have mercy on you. If we calculate the value of the zakat on gold and know its worth, is it permissible for us to take the zakat for ourselves due to our need for money?
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The questioner : The questioner, A.F. from Jeddah, says: May the honor of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Uthaymeen be respected. Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. If we calculate the zakat on gold and determine its value, is it permissible for us to take the zakat for ourselves due to our need for money?
The Shaykh : I say: And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. It is not permissible for a person to make his own zakat for himself, meaning it is not lawful for him to make himself the distributor of his zakat. Rather, he must pay out the zakat to those who are entitled to it, whom Allah the Exalted mentioned in His saying:[At-Tawbah 9:60] Furthermore, it is not permissible for him to give his zakat to any of his fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, sons, or daughters, unless they are in need and he is unable to provide for them, in which case there is no harm in spending his zakat on them. Or if they have debts and he wishes to pay them off from his zakat, there is no harm. For example, if a person has a father who has already attained sufficiency and is not in need of money, but has a debt he cannot pay, and his son wishes to pay his father's debt from his zakat, there is no blame on him, because in this case he is not deriving benefit for himself nor removing harm from himself. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : I say: And upon you be peace, and Allah's mercy and blessings. It is not permissible for a person to make his own zakat for himself, meaning it is not lawful for him to make himself the distributor of his zakat. Rather, he must pay out the zakat to those who are entitled to it, whom Allah the Exalted mentioned 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 الصَّدَقاتُ لِلفُقَراءِ وَالمَساكينِ وَالعامِلينَ عَلَيها وَالمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلوبُهُم وَفِي الرِّقابِ وَالغارِمينَ وَفي سَبيلِ اللَّهِ وَابنِ السَّبيلِ فَريضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَليمٌ حَكيمٌThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good.