Continuation of the Shaykh’s discussion with the students regarding the verse of zakah: “Indeed, alms are only for the poor…”
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The Shaykh : In the cause of Allah, where He counted them using the preposition “bi” (with) rather than “li” (for), so rest.
Suppose a man—brother? Suppose a man paid off a debtor’s debt from zakah without the debtor knowing, paying the debt from zakah without the debtor being aware of it. Does the zakah suffice or not? What are the conditions if the debtor knows? A man knows that so-and-so, a poor man who cannot pay, is in debt, so he goes to the creditor and pays it off from zakah. Does it suffice or not? Do you have evidence from the verse?
But if he goes to the creditor and pays him, whether the debtor is a spendthrift or not, rest.
The Shaykh : Does it suffice even if the debtor does not know about it? Where do you take this from in the verse?
That He made the right of the debtors with “bi” (with), which does not indicate the obligation of transferring ownership. Well done, may Allah reward you.
What if he buys food for the poor man from zakah and sends it to him?
The student: He asks him first.
The Shaykh : No, he did not ask, and nothing else. A man has zakah in dirhams, he buys food for the poor man with it and sends it to him?
The student: It does not suffice.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because this poor man might need something else that is more important than this.
The Shaykh : But can you give us the reasoning for the ruling from the verse? Yes, I will read it to you, no problem.[At-Tawbah 9:60]
The student: For the poor and the needy, for the poor, the “li” (for) indicates transferring ownership.
The Shaykh : The “li” (for) indicates transferring ownership. Well done, perfect. We take it from the verse from which angle? Because the “li” is for transferring ownership, so the poor man must own the zakah and dispose of it as he wishes. For this reason, the scholars said that if one buys food, clothing, or something the poor man needs from zakah and sends it to him, it does not suffice as his zakah. They reasoned this by saying that Allah mentioned the right of the poor with the “li” which indicates transferring ownership, and if one buys something for him, it does not become his property. Good.
The Shaykh : What if the poor man is a spendthrift? If you give him the zakah, he will dispose of it in things that do not benefit him. Is it permissible, in the interest of his benefit, for me to buy food for him and give it to him, or not? What should I do? I know that if I give him this zakah, he will buy tickets to watch things that do not benefit him. But I know that he will waste himself and his family, but he is a spendthrift. Good, rest.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Good, rest means that if we fear that if we give the poor man the dirhams, he will waste them and ruin himself and his family, then we ask him to appoint us as his agent to receive the zakah. We say to him, “We have zakah for you, what do you need for the house?” He says, “I need such and such.” I say to him, “Appoint me as your agent to receive the zakah and buy what you need so I can bring it to you.” Is this clear? This is what the jurists, may Allah have mercy on them, mentioned regarding this issue. And this is one of the issues that frequently arises for people, because if some people are given zakah in dirhams, they will waste it.
Suppose a man—brother? Suppose a man paid off a debtor’s debt from zakah without the debtor knowing, paying the debt from zakah without the debtor being aware of it. Does the zakah suffice or not? What are the conditions if the debtor knows? A man knows that so-and-so, a poor man who cannot pay, is in debt, so he goes to the creditor and pays it off from zakah. Does it suffice or not? Do you have evidence from the verse?
But if he goes to the creditor and pays him, whether the debtor is a spendthrift or not, rest.
The Shaykh : Does it suffice even if the debtor does not know about it? Where do you take this from in the verse?
That He made the right of the debtors with “bi” (with), which does not indicate the obligation of transferring ownership. Well done, may Allah reward you.
What if he buys food for the poor man from zakah and sends it to him?
The student: He asks him first.
The Shaykh : No, he did not ask, and nothing else. A man has zakah in dirhams, he buys food for the poor man with it and sends it to him?
The student: It does not suffice.
The Shaykh : Why?
The student: Because this poor man might need something else that is more important than this.
The Shaykh : But can you give us the reasoning for the ruling from the verse? Yes, I will read it to you, no problem.
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
إنما الصدقات للفقراء والمساكين والعاملين عليها والمؤلفة قلوبهم وفي الرقاب والغارمين وفي سبيل الله وابن السبيلThe student: For the poor and the needy, for the poor, the “li” (for) indicates transferring ownership.
The Shaykh : The “li” (for) indicates transferring ownership. Well done, perfect. We take it from the verse from which angle? Because the “li” is for transferring ownership, so the poor man must own the zakah and dispose of it as he wishes. For this reason, the scholars said that if one buys food, clothing, or something the poor man needs from zakah and sends it to him, it does not suffice as his zakah. They reasoned this by saying that Allah mentioned the right of the poor with the “li” which indicates transferring ownership, and if one buys something for him, it does not become his property. Good.
The Shaykh : What if the poor man is a spendthrift? If you give him the zakah, he will dispose of it in things that do not benefit him. Is it permissible, in the interest of his benefit, for me to buy food for him and give it to him, or not? What should I do? I know that if I give him this zakah, he will buy tickets to watch things that do not benefit him. But I know that he will waste himself and his family, but he is a spendthrift. Good, rest.
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Good, rest means that if we fear that if we give the poor man the dirhams, he will waste them and ruin himself and his family, then we ask him to appoint us as his agent to receive the zakah. We say to him, “We have zakah for you, what do you need for the house?” He says, “I need such and such.” I say to him, “Appoint me as your agent to receive the zakah and buy what you need so I can bring it to you.” Is this clear? This is what the jurists, may Allah have mercy on them, mentioned regarding this issue. And this is one of the issues that frequently arises for people, because if some people are given zakah in dirhams, they will waste it.