Giving zakat al-mal to a person who does not pray: Is there any harm in that?
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The questioner : Giving zakat al-mal to a person who does not pray: Is there any harm in that?
The Shaykh : If he does not pray at all, he is not to be given from the zakat, because the one who does not pray at all is an apostate and a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to give zakat to a disbeliever except if he is from those whose hearts are to be reconciled. As for if he does not pray in congregation but prays in his house, he is an open sinner, but he is not outside of Islam. If he is from the people eligible for zakat, he is given from it. In the first case: if he does not pray at all and he has a family, and we know they are poor, then we give the zakat to his mother or the one in charge of the household, and we do not hand it to the father.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If he does not pray at all, he is not to be given from the zakat, because the one who does not pray at all is an apostate and a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to give zakat to a disbeliever except if he is from those whose hearts are to be reconciled. As for if he does not pray in congregation but prays in his house, he is an open sinner, but he is not outside of Islam. If he is from the people eligible for zakat, he is given from it. In the first case: if he does not pray at all and he has a family, and we know they are poor, then we give the zakat to his mother or the one in charge of the household, and we do not hand it to the father.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.