I have an older sister who is unmarried and lives with my mother in the same place, and they eat and drink from the same vessel. If I give her from my zakah what helps her with her livelihood, especially since she does not work at anything, and this money has mixed with my mother’s money which I spend on her, is there any prohibition or doubt in it? My mother might eat from this money given that they live together. Please give us a ruling, may you be rewarded.
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The questioner : I have an older sister who is unmarried and lives with my mother in the same place, and they eat and drink from the same vessel. If I give her from my zakah what helps her with her livelihood, especially since she does not work at anything, and this money has mixed with my mother’s money which I spend on her, is there any prohibition or doubt in it? My mother might eat from this money given that they live together. Please give us a ruling, may you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : If this sister of yours is with her father and her father is able to provide for her and does provide for her, then it is not permissible for you to give her from your zakah, because she is self-sufficient with what her father provides for her. However, if her father is poor, or if he is wealthy but does not give her what is required of him in terms of maintenance, then there is no blame on you for giving your sister from your zakah what suffices her for a year.
In this case, it is permissible for your sister to mix what you give her from the zakah with her mother’s money or her father’s money, and the household expenses are paid from this mixed money.
When a person receives money in a lawful manner, it becomes his property, and he has the right to dispose of it as he wishes from what Allah the Mighty and Majestic has made lawful. He may give it to someone whom the original giver was forbidden to give to. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered his house one day and food was served to him, and he said: The *barimah* is a clay vessel used instead of an iron vessel. They said: Yes, O Messenger of Allah, but it is meat that was given in charity to Barirah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not eat charity, so he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 5097.
This indicates that when a person receives something by right, it does not become forbidden for others to consume it, even if it would not have been permissible for them to receive it directly from the original giver. A similar case is a poor person who takes zakah and it is permissible for him to prepare food from it and invite the wealthy to eat from it, because the wealthy person does not benefit from it as zakah, but rather as food from this poor person who owns it by right.
The questioner : Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge and benefit the Muslims through you.
The Shaykh : If this sister of yours is with her father and her father is able to provide for her and does provide for her, then it is not permissible for you to give her from your zakah, because she is self-sufficient with what her father provides for her. However, if her father is poor, or if he is wealthy but does not give her what is required of him in terms of maintenance, then there is no blame on you for giving your sister from your zakah what suffices her for a year.
In this case, it is permissible for your sister to mix what you give her from the zakah with her mother’s money or her father’s money, and the household expenses are paid from this mixed money.
When a person receives money in a lawful manner, it becomes his property, and he has the right to dispose of it as he wishes from what Allah the Mighty and Majestic has made lawful. He may give it to someone whom the original giver was forbidden to give to. The evidence for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered his house one day and food was served to him, and he said:
Did I not see the *barimah* over the fire?
ألم أر البرمة على النارIt is an object of charity for Barira, and it is a present for us.
هو عليها صدقة ولنا هديةThis indicates that when a person receives something by right, it does not become forbidden for others to consume it, even if it would not have been permissible for them to receive it directly from the original giver. A similar case is a poor person who takes zakah and it is permissible for him to prepare food from it and invite the wealthy to eat from it, because the wealthy person does not benefit from it as zakah, but rather as food from this poor person who owns it by right.
The questioner : Thank you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you and your knowledge and benefit the Muslims through you.