Is it permissible to divide the zakah? And if the lunar year passes, does one commit a sin?
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The questioner : The honorable Shaykh, a questioner asks and says: Is it permissible for me to divide the amount obligatory in the zakah of gold, for example? Is it permissible for me, for instance, to pay five hundred now and another five hundred after two months, if the lunar year has arrived? And does he also say that it is a condition that the lunar year must pass? And if it exceeds the lunar year, is he considered a sinner or not?
The Shaykh : Dividing the zakah, if it is an advance, there is no harm. If it is an advance, there is no harm, such as if his lunar year ends in Ramadan and he starts giving zakah in Jumada, there is no harm in that, because the most that is in it is that he advanced some of the zakah, and advancing some of the zakah is permissible, just as advancing all of the zakah is permissible. As for delaying it, it is not permissible. That is, it is not permissible if the zakah becomes due for him to delay some of it and pay it in installments, because the zakah must be paid immediately, all at once. However, he is excused for ten days, a month, or half a month. Also, if we suppose, for example, that there are few poor people with him, and if he paid them all at once, they would waste it, and he wants to divide it among them for their benefit, then there is no harm, because this is for the benefit of the recipient. Yes.
The Shaykh : Dividing the zakah, if it is an advance, there is no harm. If it is an advance, there is no harm, such as if his lunar year ends in Ramadan and he starts giving zakah in Jumada, there is no harm in that, because the most that is in it is that he advanced some of the zakah, and advancing some of the zakah is permissible, just as advancing all of the zakah is permissible. As for delaying it, it is not permissible. That is, it is not permissible if the zakah becomes due for him to delay some of it and pay it in installments, because the zakah must be paid immediately, all at once. However, he is excused for ten days, a month, or half a month. Also, if we suppose, for example, that there are few poor people with him, and if he paid them all at once, they would waste it, and he wants to divide it among them for their benefit, then there is no harm, because this is for the benefit of the recipient. Yes.