The poor person is given his sufficiency for a full year

Q: The assessment of the poor person who is given from the zakah varies from time to time. What is the criterion for this? And if it becomes clear to the giver that he placed it with someone who is not entitled to it, does he have to give it out again?

A: The poor person is given from the zakah the amount of his sufficiency for a full year. If it becomes clear to the one paying the zakah that the recipient is not poor, he is not required to make it up if the recipient appeared to be poor. This is based on the authentic hadith regarding this matter, in which a man from those before us gave charity to a person he thought was poor, but he saw in a dream that the man was rich. He said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved of that and informed him that his charity had been accepted. It is established in the principles of jurisprudence that the legislation of those before us is legislation for us, unless our legislation comes with a contrary ruling. Also, because two men came to him (peace and blessings be upon him) asking for charity, and he saw that they were strong, so he said: . Furthermore, because verifying the need of the poor person in every aspect involves difficulty and hardship, so the apparent state is sufficient in this matter. The claim of the recipient that he is poor is accepted if it does not become clear to the one paying the zakah otherwise, along with explaining the legal ruling to him if his appearance suggests strength in earning, based on the aforementioned hadith.