Ruling on giving zakah to a poor Muslim who is among the sinners
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Q: His Eminence the Shaykh, 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz (may Allah preserve him)
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings:
There are some poor relatives here in Riyadh who are entitled to zakah, but they have some wrongdoings (such as satellite dishes) and do not maintain prayer in congregation. Is it permissible to give them zakah? Please issue a ruling, and may you be rewarded.
A: And upon you be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, after that:
It is permissible to give zakah to a poor Muslim even if he has some sins, but seeking out poor people known for their goodness and uprightness is more preferable and better. One who does not pray is not given from the zakah; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the more correct of the two opinions of the scholars. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 82b narrated by Muslim in his Sahih from the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), and the people of the four Sunan collections narrated it with a sound chain from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Ibn Majah 1079Sahih (Darussalam) As for the one who denies its obligation, he is a disbeliever by consensus, even if he prays; because by his action he is lying to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). And Allah is the guarantor of success, and peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings:
There are some poor relatives here in Riyadh who are entitled to zakah, but they have some wrongdoings (such as satellite dishes) and do not maintain prayer in congregation. Is it permissible to give them zakah? Please issue a ruling, and may you be rewarded.
A: And upon you be peace, and Allah’s mercy and blessings, after that:
It is permissible to give zakah to a poor Muslim even if he has some sins, but seeking out poor people known for their goodness and uprightness is more preferable and better. One who does not pray is not given from the zakah; because abandoning prayer is major shirk (associating partners with Allah), even if he does not deny its obligation, according to the more correct of the two opinions of the scholars. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Between man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of salat.
بين الرجل وبين الشرك والكفر ترك الصلاةThe covenant that distinguishes between us and them is prayer; so whoever leaves it, he has committed Kufr.
العهد الذي بيننا وبينهم الصلاة فمن تركها فقد كفرThe Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.