What is the ruling on giving zakah to a husband if he is in need, such as for paying off debts?
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The questioner : What is the ruling on giving zakah to a husband if he is in need, such as for paying off debts?
The Shaykh : Giving zakah to a husband if he is in need to pay off debts is permissible, and there is no blame in it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once encouraged charity, so the wife of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud informed her husband of this. He asked her to give charity to him and their children, but she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about it, and he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1462 Also, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentioned the recipients of zakah with specific descriptions, saying: [At-Tawbah 9:60] No text from the Book or the Sunnah states that a wife may not give her zakah to her husband, or that a husband may not give his zakah to his wife. Therefore, if the description of eligibility for zakah is present in any person, it is permissible to give him from the zakah, except if the person giving the zakah is thereby fulfilling a right that is obligatory upon him, in which case it is not permissible. It is well known that a wife is not obligated to provide financial maintenance for her husband, nor is she obligated to pay off his debt. For this reason, we say: if a person pays off his father's debt from his zakah, and the father is unable to pay it off, then that is permissible. And if a husband pays off his wife's debt with his zakah, and she is unable to pay it off, then there is nothing wrong with that, because it is true that they are among those in debt.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : However, if a person wants to give his zakah to his father or his son in order to spend on himself, and the father who gave the zakah is able to provide for his son, then that is not permissible, because by doing so he is relieving himself of an obligation. The general rule regarding the recipients of zakah is: anyone who possesses one of the descriptions of the recipients of zakah, it is permissible to give him the zakah, but if the giver of the zakah is thereby fulfilling a right that is obligatory upon him, then that is not permissible.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Shaykh Muhammad.
The Shaykh : Giving zakah to a husband if he is in need to pay off debts is permissible, and there is no blame in it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) once encouraged charity, so the wife of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud informed her husband of this. He asked her to give charity to him and their children, but she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) about it, and he said:
Ibn Mas`ud had spoken the truth. Your husband and your children had more right to it than anybody else.
صدق عبد الله بن مسعود، زوجكِ وولدكِ أحق من تصدّقتِ عليهZakah 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 السَّبِيلِThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : However, if a person wants to give his zakah to his father or his son in order to spend on himself, and the father who gave the zakah is able to provide for his son, then that is not permissible, because by doing so he is relieving himself of an obligation. The general rule regarding the recipients of zakah is: anyone who possesses one of the descriptions of the recipients of zakah, it is permissible to give him the zakah, but if the giver of the zakah is thereby fulfilling a right that is obligatory upon him, then that is not permissible.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. Shaykh Muhammad.