What is the ruling on giving zakah outside one's city?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. What is the ruling on giving the zakah of wealth?
The Shaykh : The ruling.
The questioner : Is it permissible to give the zakah of wealth in a country other than one's own, if there are needy people in other countries?
The Shaykh : It is better for a person not to give his zakah outside his city as long as there are eligible recipients in it. This is the better course.
The questioner : They may be in greater need in other countries, such as in times of famine.
The Shaykh : This may be permitted on the condition that you know that those who receive it are Muslims and that they do not hold false beliefs. For some Muslims, though they are Muslims, are more disbelieving than the Jews and the Christians. Do you not know that among those who claim Islam are those who say: "The universe is one thing; the Creator and the created are one thing." The people of the unity of existence say that they are Muslims. So you must investigate. But the matter I strongly forbade is the issue of the 'Id sacrifices. When the time for sacrifice comes, they take out money and give it to people who slaughter it in any part of the earth. This is a great error, because the slaughter itself is an act of worship, and the aim is not the meat.[Al-Hajj 22:37] The aim is to worship Allah. And Allah the Exalted linked the slaughter to prayer: [Al-Kawthar 108:2] and He commanded us to eat from it. How can you eat from something that is not before you? It is impossible. And He commanded us to mention the name of Allah over it. How can you mention the name of Allah over something that is not before you? Then, if you give money, there remains a problem. First: Do you trust that these people will slaughter a sacrifice that meets the conditions? They may slaughter a young animal. We saw them in Mina before the inspectors arrived; we saw them slaughtering a young animal that was only three months old, and they interpret the Qur'an accordingly, saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:196] and this is what has been made easy for us. Do you feel safe about this? Do you feel safe that they will slaughter one free from defects? You cannot feel safe. Do you feel safe that they will slaughter during the days of sacrifice, or that they have many sacrifices and some are delayed? You cannot feel safe. Do you feel safe that the one who slaughters prays? You cannot feel safe. Do you feel safe that he mentions the name of Allah? All of this is absent. So why do we take the risk? Then, if we say this and people become accustomed to it, the lands will be devoid of this great ritual, which is the slaughter for Allah. Because every person will say: "Praise be to Allah, I give three hundred or four hundred riyals, and I do not defile my house with blood and dung." Therefore, I ask you, may Allah bless you, to forbid people—not merely advise them, but forbid them—from giving money to be used for sacrifice in another place. And say: The sacrifice is a ritual of Islam. You do it yourself, you mention the name of Allah over it, you eat from it, you feed others, and you are reassured. And your brothers there, praise be to Allah, the door is wide. Send this money to them, and you slaughter in your own land. And Allah the Exalted will compensate you. What? What?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : This is another matter. Yes, let's move on to the left side. After the time for the meeting ends, I suggest we move on. Let's go, yes.
The Shaykh : The ruling.
The questioner : Is it permissible to give the zakah of wealth in a country other than one's own, if there are needy people in other countries?
The Shaykh : It is better for a person not to give his zakah outside his city as long as there are eligible recipients in it. This is the better course.
The questioner : They may be in greater need in other countries, such as in times of famine.
The Shaykh : This may be permitted on the condition that you know that those who receive it are Muslims and that they do not hold false beliefs. For some Muslims, though they are Muslims, are more disbelieving than the Jews and the Christians. Do you not know that among those who claim Islam are those who say: "The universe is one thing; the Creator and the created are one thing." The people of the unity of existence say that they are Muslims. So you must investigate. But the matter I strongly forbade is the issue of the 'Id sacrifices. When the time for sacrifice comes, they take out money and give it to people who slaughter it in any part of the earth. This is a great error, because the slaughter itself is an act of worship, and the aim is not the meat.
Their meat will not reach Allah, nor will their blood
لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلا دِمَاؤُهَاSo pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].
فَصَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ وَانْحَرْwhat can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals
فَمَا اسْتَيْسَرَ مِنَ الْهَدْيِThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : This is another matter. Yes, let's move on to the left side. After the time for the meeting ends, I suggest we move on. Let's go, yes.