My father’s brother’s children, who are not full siblings, is it permissible for me to give them zakah as a means of maintaining family ties, and is it permissible for me to pay them a monthly salary from this zakah, rather than a lump sum?
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The questioner : This is a message received from Kuwait from your brother in Allah, who has symbolized his name with the letters R, M, and S. He says: “O honorable Shaykh, I have children from my father’s brother who are not full siblings. Is it permissible for me to give them zakah as a means of maintaining family ties? And is it permissible for me to pay them a monthly salary from this zakah, rather than a lump sum, meaning over the course of the year? Please advise us. May Allah reward you with good.”
The Shaykh : If your father’s brother’s children are poor and eligible for zakah, and you are not obligated to provide for them, then it is permissible for you to give them zakah. As for distributing it to them each month in an amount sufficient for their needs, this requires that you be their guardian. If you are their guardian, there is no harm, because the guardian manages what is in their best interest. If you are not their guardian, give it to their guardian as a lump sum, and he will manage it as he sees fit for their best interest. Yes.
The Shaykh : If your father’s brother’s children are poor and eligible for zakah, and you are not obligated to provide for them, then it is permissible for you to give them zakah. As for distributing it to them each month in an amount sufficient for their needs, this requires that you be their guardian. If you are their guardian, there is no harm, because the guardian manages what is in their best interest. If you are not their guardian, give it to their guardian as a lump sum, and he will manage it as he sees fit for their best interest. Yes.