Is it permissible to pay zakat al-mal in the form of food or clothing, given the people's need for such things in this time?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh. This questioner asks: Is it permissible to pay zakat al-mal in the form of food, clothing, or the like, given the people's severe need for such things?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not permissible. Zakat al-mal is paid out in money. So, for example, what do we pay the zakat of coins in? Coins. As for trade goods, meaning the wealth of merchants, they pay the zakat in coins. It is not permissible for them to pay it from their trade goods. What is meant by trade goods? What is meant is the goods themselves; what is intended is their value. The reverse is possible: if a person has a farm and sells it, he pays the zakat from the value. We do not say you are obligated to pay out grains; it is not required. However, making the currency the standard and paying its zakat from anything other than currency is not permissible. Then, if the door were opened, people are naturally inclined toward stinginess, and if a man’s goods became unsold, what would he do? He would pay them out as zakat. That is a mistake. Then, if this door were opened, this man would value what is worth one hundred at fifty. Therefore, it is not permissible to pay the zakat of monetary wealth, nor the zakat of what is in the same category as it, namely trade goods, except from currency. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is not permissible. Zakat al-mal is paid out in money. So, for example, what do we pay the zakat of coins in? Coins. As for trade goods, meaning the wealth of merchants, they pay the zakat in coins. It is not permissible for them to pay it from their trade goods. What is meant by trade goods? What is meant is the goods themselves; what is intended is their value. The reverse is possible: if a person has a farm and sells it, he pays the zakat from the value. We do not say you are obligated to pay out grains; it is not required. However, making the currency the standard and paying its zakat from anything other than currency is not permissible. Then, if the door were opened, people are naturally inclined toward stinginess, and if a man’s goods became unsold, what would he do? He would pay them out as zakat. That is a mistake. Then, if this door were opened, this man would value what is worth one hundred at fifty. Therefore, it is not permissible to pay the zakat of monetary wealth, nor the zakat of what is in the same category as it, namely trade goods, except from currency. Yes.