A poor man wanted some of his colleagues to collect zakah for him to buy a house, and they actually collected zakah for him and bought him a residence, but some money remained
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The questioner : A poor man wanted some of his colleagues to collect zakah for him to buy a house, and they actually collected zakah for him and bought him a residence, but some money remained. Is it permissible for them to buy him some necessities? Given that those who paid the zakah do not care about buying a house or anything else, but their intention is simply to pay the zakah?
The Shaykh : I do not see it as permissible to pay zakah to buy a house for a poor man, because buying a house will take a lot of money. If the intention is to meet the poor man's need, then a house should be rented for him from the zakah. I give as an example a poor man for whom we could rent a house for ten years for ten thousand riyals, whereas if we bought him a house, we would not find one for less than one hundred or two hundred thousand. It is not permissible to spend that amount for him and deprive other poor people. We say: a house is rented for the poor man. And when the rental period ends and he is still poor, we rent him another one. As for buying a house for him from the zakah, I do not see it as permissible. Yes, if one of the scholars issued a fatwa to them permitting that, then the matter is a matter of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). And if something remains from what was paid to buy the house, and he is in need, there is no blame on paying this remainder to buy necessities for him.
The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : But it is necessary to seek permission from the poor man.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is said: "Some money remains from the value of the house. Do you see that we buy you something you need, and you specify it?" And he says to them: "I have appointed you as my agents to buy it for me."
The questioner : Very well. May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh. This questioner says.
The Shaykh : I do not see it as permissible to pay zakah to buy a house for a poor man, because buying a house will take a lot of money. If the intention is to meet the poor man's need, then a house should be rented for him from the zakah. I give as an example a poor man for whom we could rent a house for ten years for ten thousand riyals, whereas if we bought him a house, we would not find one for less than one hundred or two hundred thousand. It is not permissible to spend that amount for him and deprive other poor people. We say: a house is rented for the poor man. And when the rental period ends and he is still poor, we rent him another one. As for buying a house for him from the zakah, I do not see it as permissible. Yes, if one of the scholars issued a fatwa to them permitting that, then the matter is a matter of independent legal reasoning (ijtihad). And if something remains from what was paid to buy the house, and he is in need, there is no blame on paying this remainder to buy necessities for him.
The questioner : May Allah preserve you, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : But it is necessary to seek permission from the poor man.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And it is said: "Some money remains from the value of the house. Do you see that we buy you something you need, and you specify it?" And he says to them: "I have appointed you as my agents to buy it for me."
The questioner : Very well. May Allah reward you with good, O honorable Shaykh. This questioner says.