The Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina are among the most deserving of zakah

Q: Some people ask about giving zakah to the Muslim mujahideen in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their like. What is your opinion on that? And is it more appropriate at this time to give it to them, or to those in charge of Islamic centers around the world, or to the poor of the country itself, even if the need of those others is greater?

A: The Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina are entitled to zakah because of their poverty, their jihad, and because they are oppressed and in need of victory, and for the sake of reconciling hearts. They are among the most deserving of zakah, and so are their like, and so are those in charge of Islamic centers in education and calling people to Allah, if they are poor. And so are the poor Muslims in the world, who deserve that their wealthy brothers support them and show them mercy out of compassion for them, to reconcile their hearts, and to strengthen them in Islam. However, the payment to them must be through trustworthy and reliable people. They are also deserving of compassion and assistance other than zakah for the reasons mentioned. But the poor of the country in which the one paying zakah resides are more deserving of zakah than others. If there is nothing to meet their need, that is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the hadith of Mu'adh when he sent him to Yemen: It is agreed upon as authentic.