Ruling on waiving a debt and counting it as zakah
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The questioner: The following question was sent by a listener (S. A. N.) from Dammam. He says: I have a sum of money owed to me by a person, and it is expected that he will repay it, but at present the debtor is unable to pay. At the same time, that debtor is eligible for zakah. Should I waive the amount he owes me in lieu of his zakah, or should I pay him from money other than what he owes me?
Answer:
The Shaykh: It is obligatory for you to give to him if he is eligible. It is prescribed for you to give to him from what you have if he is among those entitled to zakah.
The Shaykh: As for waiving part of what he owes from the zakah, that is not sufficient; because zakah is giving and paying, not releasing from a debt. The debt he owes should be given time if he is in difficulty until he is able to fulfill it; because Allah said: [al-Baqarah: 280].
The Shaykh: As for zakah, there is no harm in giving him from the zakah if he is among those entitled to it. If he is poor, he is given from the zakah that is with you from the money that is with you.
The Shaykh: As for waiving something of what he owes from the zakah, that is not sufficient. Yes.
The questioner: The following question was sent by a listener (S. A. N.) from Dammam. He says: I have a sum of money owed to me by a person, and it is expected that he will repay it, but at present the debtor is unable to pay. At the same time, that debtor is eligible for zakah. Should I waive the amount he owes me in lieu of his zakah, or should I pay him from money other than what he owes me?
Answer:
The Shaykh: It is obligatory for you to give to him if he is eligible. It is prescribed for you to give to him from what you have if he is among those entitled to zakah.
The Shaykh: As for waiving part of what he owes from the zakah, that is not sufficient; because zakah is giving and paying, not releasing from a debt. The debt he owes should be given time if he is in difficulty until he is able to fulfill it; because Allah said:
And if someone is in hardship, then [let there be] postponement until [a time of] ease
وَإِنْ كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَى مَيْسَرَةٍThe Shaykh: As for zakah, there is no harm in giving him from the zakah if he is among those entitled to it. If he is poor, he is given from the zakah that is with you from the money that is with you.
The Shaykh: As for waiving something of what he owes from the zakah, that is not sufficient. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.