Is it permissible to give from the zakah to the da'wah workers?
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Abu Layla : Second question, O Shaykh, is it permissible to allocate zakah funds to the da'wah workers, meaning to free them up for the work of da'wah and education? As you know, their situation in the Muslim world is one of poverty.
The Shaykh : If the question is precise, and as stated at the end of the question, that their situation is one of poverty, then there is no need for all that detail. The question should have been absolute: Is it permissible to allocate zakah funds to da'wah workers, even if they are wealthy? But if they are poor, then two causes are present here. One is a cause that is certain to be a Shari'ah cause for the permissibility of giving zakah, which is poverty. The second cause is that they are freed up for da'wah to Allah. In my opinion, this is not a Shari'ah cause. Therefore, as long as the question is about giving zakah to poor da'wah workers, there is no problem with that. But I think thatThe questioner : The question was not well phrased.The questioner : That is, allocating funds to da'wah workers absolutely, whether they are poor or wealthy. The answer in that case depends on the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted in the verse regarding the expenditures of zakah: ... and in the cause of Allah ... the verse إنما الصدقات للفقراء والمساكين ... Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy[At-Tawbah 9:60] and at its end, "and in the cause of Allah." Regarding the interpretation of "in the cause of Allah" in this specific verse, there are two opinions among the scholars. The most famous opinion is that it refers to those who strive in the cause of Allah (mujahideen). There is another opinion, which is that it refers to making the pilgrimage (Hajj) in the cause of Allah. This is based on the hadith: لو أنك أحججتها لكان ذلك في سبيل الله If you had made the pilgrimage, that would have been in the cause of Allah. This is the madhhab of Imam Ahmad. As for expanding the meaning of وفي سبيل الله for the cause of Allah[At-Tawbah 9:60] to include all paths of good, such as what was mentioned in the question—freeing da'wah workers for da'wah to Allah, building mosques, hospitals, schools, and so on—and permitting the allocation of zakah to these places, this stems from generalizing the meaning of "the cause of Allah" to "paths of good." This interpretation is a later innovation (muhdath) that the righteous Salaf did not know. Furthermore, it contradicts the explicit text of the verse, which restricted the expenditures of zakah to those mentioned in it. Therefore, if the question is specific to poor da'wah workers, there is no problem with it. But if the question includes even the wealthy, we do not see that as permissible. Therefore, we advise those in charge of charitable associations to have two funds: one for obligatory zakah and one for general charity (sadaqah) for the paths of good. The first fund is allocated to the poor, the needy, and striving in the cause of Allah, and the like of what is mentioned in the verse. As for the other fund, its scope is very broad, and from it, expenses are paid for those who are freed up for da'wah to Allah. This is all I have.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
Abu Layla : Of course, this is from the Dar al-Bar Association in the Emirates. O Shaykh, they directed these questions to you, and they conveyed to us that they want to publish these questions and answers in the official gazette.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh : If the question is precise, and as stated at the end of the question, that their situation is one of poverty, then there is no need for all that detail. The question should have been absolute: Is it permissible to allocate zakah funds to da'wah workers, even if they are wealthy? But if they are poor, then two causes are present here. One is a cause that is certain to be a Shari'ah cause for the permissibility of giving zakah, which is poverty. The second cause is that they are freed up for da'wah to Allah. In my opinion, this is not a Shari'ah cause. Therefore, as long as the question is about giving zakah to poor da'wah workers, there is no problem with that. But I think thatThe questioner : The question was not well phrased.The questioner : That is, allocating funds to da'wah workers absolutely, whether they are poor or wealthy. The answer in that case depends on the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Exalted in the verse regarding the expenditures of zakah: ... and in the cause of Allah ... the verse إنما الصدقات للفقراء والمساكين ... Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy[At-Tawbah 9:60] and at its end, "and in the cause of Allah." Regarding the interpretation of "in the cause of Allah" in this specific verse, there are two opinions among the scholars. The most famous opinion is that it refers to those who strive in the cause of Allah (mujahideen). There is another opinion, which is that it refers to making the pilgrimage (Hajj) in the cause of Allah. This is based on the hadith: لو أنك أحججتها لكان ذلك في سبيل الله If you had made the pilgrimage, that would have been in the cause of Allah. This is the madhhab of Imam Ahmad. As for expanding the meaning of وفي سبيل الله for the cause of Allah[At-Tawbah 9:60] to include all paths of good, such as what was mentioned in the question—freeing da'wah workers for da'wah to Allah, building mosques, hospitals, schools, and so on—and permitting the allocation of zakah to these places, this stems from generalizing the meaning of "the cause of Allah" to "paths of good." This interpretation is a later innovation (muhdath) that the righteous Salaf did not know. Furthermore, it contradicts the explicit text of the verse, which restricted the expenditures of zakah to those mentioned in it. Therefore, if the question is specific to poor da'wah workers, there is no problem with it. But if the question includes even the wealthy, we do not see that as permissible. Therefore, we advise those in charge of charitable associations to have two funds: one for obligatory zakah and one for general charity (sadaqah) for the paths of good. The first fund is allocated to the poor, the needy, and striving in the cause of Allah, and the like of what is mentioned in the verse. As for the other fund, its scope is very broad, and from it, expenses are paid for those who are freed up for da'wah to Allah. This is all I have.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : And beware of that.
Abu Layla : Of course, this is from the Dar al-Bar Association in the Emirates. O Shaykh, they directed these questions to you, and they conveyed to us that they want to publish these questions and answers in the official gazette.
The Shaykh: Yes.
Abu Layla : May Allah reward you with good, O our Shaykh.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.