The Permissibility of Giving Zakah to Relatives

Question:
It was said in al-Rawd: It is permissible to give zakah to relatives, even if they are heirs, provided that financial maintenance is not obligatory for them?

Answer:
This is a well-known opinion. If he is not obligated to provide for their maintenance, he may give to them. However, if he is an heir to them, he does not give to them; rather, he gives to those who are not his heirs. There is some consideration regarding this opinion.
The correct view is that there is no harm in giving zakah to poor relatives absolutely, even if he would inherit from them if they died. The correct view is that the ruling is not based on inheritance, but rather on poverty and need. If a relative is in need, he is given from the zakah, and it becomes both charity and maintaining family ties, except for the father, the child, the descendants, and the ancestors.
Ibn al-Mundhir transmitted the consensus that it is not given to the father or the child. Thus, fathers, mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, children, and the children of sons and daughters are not given zakah. Rather, their relative must support them and provide for them according to his ability. As for brothers, sisters, paternal uncles, paternal aunts, maternal uncles, maternal aunts, and the children of these relatives, they are given from the zakah absolutely, according to the most correct view, if they are poor.