Is it permissible for a son to give his zakah to his father and brothers if they are poor and he is independent of them?

The questioner : Another hadith, he says: A married son lives in a residence independent of his father. Is it permissible for him to give his zakat al-fitr and the zakah of his wealth to his needy parents and brothers?

The Shaykh : He may do so. The Messenger of Allah said to the son: . Yes.
The student : The question is about…

The questioner : The question is asked again: A married son lives in a residence independent of his father. His father has children who are poor. Is it permissible for this son to give the zakah of his wealth and his zakat al-fitr to his brothers and his father, or to his brothers only?

The Shaykh : The zakah of his wealth and his zakat al-fitr?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : The matter differs here if the father and brothers are poor and not wealthy, and they live independently and separately as stated in the question. We see that it is permissible for the descendant to give to the ancestor, and for the ancestor to give to the descendant, if they do not live together and one does not provide for the other. So, if the father and his other children live on their own, and this wealthy son—let us assume he is wealthy as it appears from the question—also lives on his own, then he may give the zakah of his wealth and his zakat al-fitr to his father and his brothers. This is unlike the case where he is responsible for providing for them. In that case, it is said: maintenance and zakah do not combine. Therefore, it is not permissible to give zakah to one whom you provide for. However, if they are as we mentioned earlier, where the father and his children live on their own and are self-sufficient, meaning they are covered as it is said, then it is permissible for this wealthy son to give the zakah of his wealth to his poor father and brothers.
The student : Should there not be a distinction between the father and the children, since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made the child part of his father's earnings and made his wealth belong to his father? Would this hadith and other similar hadiths prevent giving zakah to the father, who is the origin of this son's existence, just as it is his right over his son that he should provide for him the maintenance that prevents him from falling into poverty and need?

The Shaykh : We said something: if they are self-sufficient and covered. But if they are less than that, then the son must provide for them. If he provides for him, it is not permissible for him to give him the zakah of his wealth. And we explicitly said that zakah, charity, and maintenance are two matters that do not combine. So, if the father is in need, he may compel his son and take from him what suffices him from his wealth, even against his will. But if he lives in a state of self-sufficiency, you know that some people, especially in the early times, were wealthy but became poor. They were wealthy and quickly became poor because they gave away their wealth out of asceticism in this world. So, we can imagine a father who is ascetic in this world and has no desire to have an expansion in life, as is the case with many fathers in almost every era. If we imagine a father who is content without the middle ground of living and life, and is self-sufficient and does not ask his son for what he needs to provide for him, then the son returns and gives the zakah of his wealth to his father and his father accepts it, then it is of the nature of maintaining family ties and of what? Charity, as it came in some hadiths. As for the children, as you pointed out, there is no doubt in the difference between them and the father.
Yes.