I have adult, mature brothers who are employed, but their salaries do not cover their living expenses. Allah has blessed me with wealth, and I give them half of my zakah or more.
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The questioner : I have adult, mature brothers who are employed, but the salaries they receive do not cover their living expenses. Allah has blessed me with wealth, and I give them half of my zakah or more, and I distribute the rest among the poor and the needy. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah in your view regarding this action, and does it involve injustice to the poor? Please answer, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If these brothers of yours have enough to sustain them, even if it is only the minimum for people like them, then it is not permissible for you to give them from your zakah, because in this case they are not in need of zakah. Zakah is only to be distributed to those who are entitled to it, such as the poor, the needy, those in debt, and others mentioned by Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Tawbah in His saying:[At-Tawbah 9:60].
However, if they are in need and what they have is insufficient for them, such that they might have to borrow to complete their needs or take out loans for what they require, then in this case, give them from the zakah. Giving them from the zakah is more preferable than giving to distant relatives, because your charity to close relatives is both charity and maintaining family ties.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Do the mother and father fall under this, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The father and mother are obligatory to be financially maintained by a person. If their maintenance is obligatory, then one does not give them from his zakah, because if he gives them from his zakah, he relieves himself of the obligation of their maintenance. However, there is no harm in paying off the debts that are upon them. For example, if his father has a debt that he cannot pay off, the son may pay it off from his zakah, and there is no harm in that. Likewise, the mother, and likewise the son or daughter, if they have a debt that they cannot pay off, their father may give them what they need to pay it off, and there is no harm in that. This is because paying off the debt of the father, mother, son, or daughter is not an obligatory duty. Since it is not obligatory, he may give them from the zakah to pay off this debt.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If these brothers of yours have enough to sustain them, even if it is only the minimum for people like them, then it is not permissible for you to give them from your zakah, because in this case they are not in need of zakah. Zakah is only to be distributed to those who are entitled to it, such as the poor, the needy, those in debt, and others mentioned by Allah the Exalted in Surat al-Tawbah 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
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَاِبْنِ السَّبِيلِHowever, if they are in need and what they have is insufficient for them, such that they might have to borrow to complete their needs or take out loans for what they require, then in this case, give them from the zakah. Giving them from the zakah is more preferable than giving to distant relatives, because your charity to close relatives is both charity and maintaining family ties.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Do the mother and father fall under this, O honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : The father and mother are obligatory to be financially maintained by a person. If their maintenance is obligatory, then one does not give them from his zakah, because if he gives them from his zakah, he relieves himself of the obligation of their maintenance. However, there is no harm in paying off the debts that are upon them. For example, if his father has a debt that he cannot pay off, the son may pay it off from his zakah, and there is no harm in that. Likewise, the mother, and likewise the son or daughter, if they have a debt that they cannot pay off, their father may give them what they need to pay it off, and there is no harm in that. This is because paying off the debt of the father, mother, son, or daughter is not an obligatory duty. Since it is not obligatory, he may give them from the zakah to pay off this debt.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.