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ZAKAH(CHARITY)
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Zakah is obligatory upon Muslim
The person who has some wealth and still does not take
out zakaat for it is regarded as a great sinner in the
sight of Allah Ta'ala. He will be severely punished on
the day of judgement. Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam said: "The person who possesses gold and silver
and does not give zakaat for it, then on the day of
judgement, slabs of fire will be made for him. These
slabs will be heated in the fire of jahannam and his
sides, forehead and back will be branded with them.
When these slabs become cool, they will be re-heated
and the entire process will be repeated." Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "The person who has
been given wealth by Allah Ta'ala and despite this
does not give zakaat for it, then on the day of
judgement this wealth of his will be turned into a
huge poisonous snake which will encircle his neck. It
will then tear the sides of his mouth apart and tell
him: 'I am your wealth and I am your treasures.'" We
seek refuge in Allah Ta'ala. Who can bear such severe
punishment? It is the height of foolishness and
stupidity that we are prepared to pay such a great
penalty for a little greed and selfishness on our
part. It is extremely foolish and improper to refuse
to spend in the path of Allah the wealth that Allah
Himself has granted to us.
1. If a person possesses 612.35 grams of silver or
87.479 grams of gold or any currency that equals the
value of this amount of gold or silver, and this
wealth remains in his possession for a complete year,
then on the expiry of this year it will be wajib on
him to give zakaat for it. If his wealth is less than
this, zakaat will not be wajib. If it is more than
this, zakaat will still be wajib.
2. A person possessed the complete nisaab for about
four to six months. Thereafter, this nisaab decreased,
and after about three months he acquired some other
wealth (and he once again possesses the complete
nisaab, even in such a case zakaat will be wajib on
him. In other words, if a person possesses the nisaab
at the beginning and at the end of the year, zakaat
will be wajib on him. By the nisaab decreasing during
the course of the year, one is not absolved of giving
one’s zakaat. However, if his entire wealth is lost
and he finds it later, then the beginning of the year
will be calculated from the time that he finds his
wealth. (The period prior to that will not be
calculated).
3. A person possessed the nisaab but prior to the
expiry of one year all his wealth is lost and it was
not in his possession for the complete year. In such a
case zakaat will not be wajib.
4. A person possesses the full nisaab and also has
debts which equal the nisaab. In such a case zakaat
will not be wajib.
5. If his debts are such that if he were to fulfil his
debts he will have a remainder of wealth which will
equal the nisaab, then zakaat will be wajib on him.
6. Zakaat is wajib on jewellery, utensils, ornaments,
and brocades that have been made with gold or silver.
This is irrespective of whether these items are in use
or not. In other words, zakaat is wajib on everything
that is made of gold or silver. However, if they are
less than the nisaab, zakaat will not be wajib.
7. If the gold or silver is not pure but has been
mixed with another metal, then one will have to check
as to which is more in content. If the gold or silver
is more, then the rules which are applicable to both
will apply here as well. That is, if they equal the
nisaab, zakaat will be wajib. If the content of the
other metal is more than that of the gold or silver,
it will not be regarded as gold or silver. The rules
that apply to brass, copper, steel, tin, etc. will
also apply to this metal. These rules will be
discussed later.
8. A person does not have the complete nisaab of gold
nor of silver. Instead, he has a bit of gold and a bit
of silver. If both are added together and their value
equals the nisaab of gold or silver, zakaat will be
wajib. But if they do not equal the nisaab of either
gold or silver after adding them together, zakaat will
not be wajib. If the nisaab of gold or silver is
complete, there is no need to obtain their value.
9. Assuming that the price of 11.664 grams of gold is
R25, and for R1 we can get 17.496 grams of silver and
a person possesses double this amount of gold (i.e.
23.328 grams) plus R5 both of which is over and above
his needs. Furthermore, he has this gold and cash in
his possession for a full year. In such a case, zakaat
will be wajib. This is because the 23.328 grams of
gold equals R50, and for R50 one can purchase 874.8
grams of silver (50x17.496g). In addition to this, if
the R5 were to be added together, this will result in
a lot of wealth upon which zakaat will be wajib.
However, if he only possesses the 23.328 grams of gold
and does not have any cash or silver; zakaat will not
be wajib.
10. Assuming that we get 23.328 grams of silver for R1
and a person only possesses R30. Zakaat will not be
wajib and we will not calculate and say that R30
equals 699.84 grams of silver (i.e. 30 x 23.328 =
699.84) based on the fact that the rand is actually in
place of the silver and when we only have gold or
silver, then we will take the weight into
consideration and not the value. (This rule will only
apply when the coins used to be made of silver. These
days, coins are made of copper and other cheap metals.
We even receive them in return for currency notes. Now
the ruling will be that the person who possesses coins
or notes equal to the current value of the nisaab of
gold or silver, zakaat on this will be wajib.)
11. A person had money equal to the nisaab which was
over and above his needs. Prior to the expiry of the
year, he received an additional amount. This
additional amount will not be calculated separately.
Instead, it will be added to the original amount and
upon the expiry of the year, zakaat will be wajib on
the entire amount and it will be regarded as if the
original amount and the additional amount was in his
possession for one full year.
12. A person had silver which was equal to the nisaab.
Prior to the expiry of the year, he received an amount
of gold (whether more or less than the amount of
nisaab). This amount will not be calculated
separately. Instead, it will be added to the original
amount of silver and zakaat will be wajib on the total
amount upon the expiry of that year.
13. With the exception of gold and silver, the rule
regarding all other metals such as steel, copper,
brass, etc., the utensils that are made of these
metals, clothing, footwear, and all other such items
is that if these items are for the purpose of trade,
zakaat will be wajib on them if they reach the nisaab
of either gold or silver and are in the possession of
the person for a period of one year. However, if these
items do not reach the nisaab, zakaat will not be
wajib. If these items are not for the purpose of
trade, zakaat will not be wajib irrespective of the
amount one possesses. Even if the value of these items
reaches thousands of rands, zakaat will not be wajib
as long as they are not for the purpose of trade.
14. Zakaat is not wajib on household effects such as
utensils, pots, big pots, trays, basins, crockery and
glassware, the house in which one lives, the clothes
which one wears, jewellery made of pearls, etc. This
is irrespective of the amount and irrespective of
whether they are being used daily or not. However, if
they are kept for the purpose of trade, zakaat will be
wajib on them as well. In short, zakaat is not wajib
on all items apart from gold and silver if they are
not for the purpose of trade. But if they are for
trade, zakaat will be wajib on them as well.
15. A person owns several homes from which he collects
rent. Zakaat is not wajib on these homes irrespective
of their value. Similarly, if a person purchases some
utensils and hires them out, zakaat will not be wajib
on these utensils. In short, by hiring or renting
something out, zakaat does not become wajib on that
thing.
16. Zakaat is not wajib on clothes irrespective of how
expensive they may be. However, if they are
embroidered with gold or silver thread and if this
thread were to be removed and weighed it will be equal
to the nisaab, then in such a case zakaat will be
wajib. But if it does not reach the nisaab, zakaat
will not be wajib.
17. A person possesses some gold or silver, and some
goods for trade as well. All these will have to be
calculated together. If they reach the nisaab of
either gold or silver, zakaat will be wajib. If they
do not reach the nisaab, zakaat will not be wajib.
18. Goods for trade will only be regarded as such if
they have been purchased with the intention of
re-sale. If a person purchases some rice or any other
item for his domestic needs or for a wedding, etc. and
thereafter decides to sell this item, zakaat will not
be wajib on this.
19. Zakaat is also wajib on the money that is owed to
a person by his debtors. Debts are of three types:
The First Type: The person loaned some gold, silver or
money, or sold some tradeable goods to another person.
He is owing this money and only repays his debt after
a year or two. If whatever he loaned is equal to or
more than the nisaab, zakaat will be wajib for all the
years that he had loaned the money.
He did not repay the debt at once, but in instalments.
The moment he pays an amount equal to the value of
128.304 grams of silver, zakaat will become wajib on
him. But if the person repays the value of 128.304
grams of silver in instalments as well, zakaat will
only become wajib on the completion of this amount.
Each time that this amount is paid, zakaat on it will
have to be given. Whenever the person gives the
zakaat, he will also have to pay for all the previous
years in which the zakaat was not paid.
If the money owed is less than the nisaab, zakaat will
not be wajib on the person. However, if the person has
some other wealth upon which zakaat is necessary, then
this wealth should be added to the money owed. If,
after adding them together, they equal the nisaab,
zakaat will be wajib on the total amount.
20. The Second Type: A person did not loan any cash
nor did he give (on credit) any goods for trade.
Instead, he sold something which was not originally
purchased for re-sale, eg. he sold some of his
personal clothing or some household goods, and the
person is still owing him the money for these items.
In addition to this, the amount that he is owing is
equal to or more than the nisaab and he only repays
this amount after several years. Zakaat will be wajib
for all the years. If he does not repay this debt at
once, but repays it in instalments, then as long as
the paid up instalments do not reach the current
nisaab of silver or gold, zakaat will not be wajib on
the amount that he collected. The moment an instalment
reaches the current nisaab, zakaat becomes wajib for
all the years in which zakaat was not paid.
21. The Third Type: The husband owes his wife the mahr
(dowry) which had been stipulated at the time of
marriage. He only pays this mahr after several years.
Zakaat will only be calculated from the day that she
actually receives her mahr. Zakaat for the previous
years will not be wajib. If the mahr remains with her
for a period of one year after having received it,
zakaat will become wajib on her upon the expiry of one
year. But if she does not have the mahr (for example,
if she spends it), zakaat will not be wajib.
22. A rich person upon whom zakaat is wajib gives his
zakaat before the expiry of one year and does not wait
until the end of the year. This is permissible and his
zakaat will be considered to be fulfilled. But if the
person is not rich and envisaged receiving some money
in the near future, and therefore gave his zakaat
before the expiry of the year, this zakaat of his will
not be considered to be fulfilled. When he receives
the money and thereafter a year passes, he will have
to give his zakaat again.
23. It is permissible for a rich person to give zakaat
for several years beforehand. But if his wealth
increases in any given year, he will have to give
zakaat for the extra wealth that he obtained.
24. A person has R1000 over and above his basic needs.
He also envisages receiving another R1000 from
somewhere. Before the expiry of the year, he gives
zakaat for the total R2000. This is also permissible.
However, if his money gets less than the nisaab at the
end of that year, then zakaat will not be wajib on him
and the zakaat which he had already given will be
regarded as a voluntary charity (sadaqah-e-naafilah).
25. A person had some wealth for a full year but
before he could give the zakaat, all his wealth was
stolen or disappeared in some other way. He will be
absolved from giving zakaat. But if the person gives
his wealth away or causes it to be destroyed in some
way or the other, then he will not be absolved from
giving the zakaat. It will remain wajib upon him.
26. After the expiry of the year, a person gave all
his wealth in charity. Zakaat will not be wajib on
him.
27. A person had R2000. After the expiry of one year,
R1000 was stolen or he gave it in charity. He will be
absolved from giving the zakaat of R1000. He will now
only have to give zakaat for R1000.
The Paying of Zakaat
1. Upon the expiry of the year, zakaat should be given
immediately. It is not a good habit to delay in
carrying out good deeds because it is possible that
death may overcome a person and this duty will still
remain on his shoulders. If the paying of zakaat is
delayed to such an extent that the second year also
expires, the person will be a sinner but he can still
repent for this sin and pay the zakaat immediately. In
other words, he should pay the zakaat that is
incumbent upon him at some time or the other in his
life and should not leave it out.
2. Zakaat is wajib on 1/40th of all the wealth which a
person possesses. That is, R2-50 for every R100 or R1
for every R40.
3. At the time of giving the zakaat to a poor person,
one must have the intention in his heart that he is
giving this money as zakaat. If he merely gives it
without making any intention, the zakaat will not be
fulfilled. He will have to give the zakaat again, and
he will be rewarded separately for the money that he
had already given.
4. If the person did not make the intention of giving
zakaat at the time of giving it to the poor person,
then as long as that money is still in the possession
of the poor person, he will be able to make the
intention. By making the intention at this stage, his
zakaat will be fulfilled. But if the poor person has
already spent that money, then the intention that is
made at this stage will not be considered. He will
have to repeat the payment of his zakaat.
5. A person set aside R2 to be given as zakaat and
decided that when he comes across a deserving person
he will give it to him. However, when he gave it to
the poor person he forgot to make the intention of
zakaat. In this case, zakaat will be fulfilled. But if
he did not make the intention of zakaat at the time of
setting it aside, his zakaat will not be fulfilled.
6. A person has taken out his zakaat for distribution.
He has the choice of giving all his zakaat to one
person or distributing it among several persons. He
also has the option of giving all the zakaat on one
day or distributing it over several months.
7. It is better to give one poor person an amount
which will be sufficient for him for that day so that
he will not have to ask anyone else.
8. It is makruh to give one poor person an amount
which makes the giving of zakaat wajib. However, if it
is given, the zakaat will be fulfilled. It is
permissible and not makruh to give an amount that is
less than this.
9. A person comes to borrow some money and it is known
that he is so poor and hard-pressed that he will be
unable to fulfil this debt or that he is a very bad
payer and never fulfils his debts. If the person gives
him some zakaat money and also makes this intention in
his heart that he is giving zakaat, then in such a
case zakaat will be fulfilled despite the poor person
regarding it as a debt.
10. If a poor person is given something as a gift, but
in his heart the person has the intention of giving
zakaat, even then zakaat will be fulfilled.
11. A poor person is owing you R10. You also have to
pay zakaat for a sum of R10 or more. You forgave the
poor person the R10 which he is owing you with the
intention of it being zakaat. In such a case, zakaat
will not be fulfilled. However, if you give him
another R10 with the intention of zakaat, zakaat will
be fulfilled. It will now be permissible to take this
R10 from him as a fulfilment of his debt.
12. If a person has so much of silver in his
possession that the zakaat on that silver amounts to
33 grams of silver and the market value of this 33
grams is two silver coins, then it is not permissible
to give two silver coins in zakaat because these two
coins do not weigh 33 grams. And if silver is paid in
zakaat against silver goods, then the weight of the
silver being paid is considered and not the price.
However, in the aforementioned case, if gold,
metal-base coins, clothing, etc. to the value of two
silver coins is purchased and given as zakaat, or 33
grams of silver is paid as zakaat, then the zakaat
will be fulfilled.
13. It is permissible for a person to appoint someone
else to give the zakaat on his behalf. If the person
to whom the money has been given does not make the
intention of zakaat at the time of giving the money to
a poor person, the zakaat will still be fulfilled.
14. You gave a person R2 to be given to another person
as zakaat. However, this person did not give the very
same R2 which you had given to him. Instead, he gave
another R2 which was in his personal possession and
thought in his mind that he will take the R2 that you
had given him. Even in this case the zakaat will be be
fulfilled. However, this is on the condition that your
R2 is in his possession and he is now taking your R2
in place of his R2. But if he spends your R2 first and
thereafter gives his own R2 to a poor person, zakaat
will not be fulfilled. Alternatively, he has your R2
in his possession, but at the time of giving his R2 he
did not make the intention of taking your R2 later.
Even in this case, zakaat will not be fulfilled. He
will now have to give R2 in zakaat again.
15. If you did not give him any money but merely asked
him to give some zakaat on your behalf and he does
this for you, the zakaat will be fulfilled. He should
now take whatever amount he had paid from you.
16. If a person pays some zakaat on your behalf
without your asking him to do so or without your
permission, the zakaat will not be fulfilled. Now,
even if you agree or accept his payment on your
behalf, it will not be permissible. He does not even
have the right to collect or ask you for that money.
17. You have given a person R2 to be given on your
behalf as zakaat. This person has the choice of giving
it to a poor person himself or asking a third person
to give it on his behalf. When giving it to this third
person he does not have to mention your name that this
zakaat must be given on behalf of so and so person. If
that person gives the money to a relative of his, or
to his parents if he finds them in need, this is also
permissible. However, if the person who was asked to
distribute the zakaat is poor himself; he cannot take
this money for his personal use. But, at the time of
giving the money to him, if you told him to do
whatever he likes with the money and that he could
give it to whomsoever he wishes, it will be
permissible for him to keep it for his personal use.
Zakaat on Produce of the Land
1. A particular place was in the control of the
kuffaar. These kuffaar used to live there and lead
their normal lives in that place. Thereafter, the
Muslims invaded that place, waged war with the
inhabitants, captured the place and propagated Islam
therein. The Muslim ruler confiscated all the land of
that place and distributed it among the Muslims. In
the Shariah, such land is referred to as "ushri" land.
If all the inhabitants of that place accepted Islam
willingly and there was no need to wage a war against
them, all the land of that place will still be
regarded as ushri land. All Arab lands are also ushri
lands.
2. If a person owns an ushri land which has come down
to him from his forefathers or purchases it from a
Muslim who inherited it from his forefathers, zakaat
will be wajib on whatever produce that comes out of
this land. The method of paying zakaat for such a land
is that the person will have to see how the land was
irrigated. If it was irrigated entirely by rain water
or if the crops were planted on the banks of a river
or stream and these crops grew without having to
irrigate them, then one tenth of the total produce of
such a plantation will have to be given as zakaat.
However, if the plantation was irrigated through any
other mechanical means, one twentieth of the total
produce will have to be given as zakaat. The same rule
applies to an orchard which is on such a land. This is
irrespective of the amount of produce, i.e. zakaat
will be wajib irrespective of whether the produce is
of a considerable amount or very little.
3. The same rule applies to corn, vegetables, esculent
vegetables, fruit, flowers, etc.
4. If honey is obtained from an ushri land, from the
jungle or a mountain, zakaat on this honey will also
be wajib.
5. A person planted a tree in his yard or planted
vegetables or some other seed and later it bore some
fruit. Zakaat on such produce is not wajib.
6. An ushri land does not remain ushri when it is
purchased by a kaafir. Later, if a Muslim repurchases
it or obtains it in some other way, it will not become
an ushri land.
7. This one tenth and one twentieth which we have
mentioned, is it wajib on the person who owns the land
or on the person who owns the produce of the land?
There is a difference of opinion among the ulama in
this regard. In order to facilitate matters, we
generally say that it is wajib on the person who owns
the produce of the land. If the land is given out on
lease, zakaat will be wajib on the person who owns the
produce. This is irrespective of whether he pays the
rent in cash or gives some produce of the land as a
form of payment. But if the seeds were provided by the
land owner, zakaat will be wajib on both the land
owner and the person who owns the produce according to
their respective shares.
Zakaat on Livestock
1. The passing of one full year is a prerequisite for
zakaat on all livestock.
2. Zakaat is fard on livestock. Livestock refers to
the animal in which the following factors are found:
(a) It must graze freely for a major portion of the
year. It must not be fed in its stable. If it spends
half the year grazing freely and half the year in it's
stable; it will not be regarded as livestock.
Similarly, if hay or straw is brought to its stable
and it feeds on that hay or straw, it will not be
regarded as livestock irrespective of whether this hay
or straw was purchased or not.
(b) It must be kept for its milk, for the purpose of
pro-creation, or in order to fatten it. If it is not
kept for any of these purposes, and instead, is kept
for its meat or as a means of transportation, it will
not be regarded as livestock.
3. The prerequisite for zakaat on livestock is that it
must be a camel, bull, buffalo, goat, or sheep. The
female of each is also included. Zakaat is not wajib
on wild animals such as buck. However, if these wild
animals are kept for the purpose of trade, then the
zakaat of tradeable goods will be wajib on them as
well. The animal that is born through copulation
between a domestic animal and a wild animal will fall
under the classification of its mother. That is, if
the mother was a domestic animal, it will also be
regarded as a domestic animal. But if the mother was a
wild animal, it will also be regarded as such, e.g. if
an animal is born from a buck and female goat, the
animal will be classified as a goat. If an animal is
born from a white antelope and a cow, the animal will
be classified as a cow.
4. An animal which was from among one's livestock was
sold during the course of the year with the intention
of trade. Zakaat will not have to be given on that
animal for that year. The year for that animal will be
calculated from the time that the person intended to
use it for the purpose of trade.
5. There is no zakaat on young animals which are
alone. However, if one is in possession of older
animals together with younger animals, zakaat will be
obligatory on both young and old animals. Furthermore,
the zakaat itself will be paid with the older and not
the younger animals. However, if the older animals die
after the expiry of one year, zakaat will be waived.
6. There is no zakaat on animals which have been made
waqf for the sake of Allah.
7. Zakaat is wajib on horses which graze if both the
male and the female of the species are together. One
dinar per horse will have to be given. Alternatively,
the value of all the horses should be calculated and
one fortieth of the total be given as zakaat.
8. Zakaat is not wajib on donkeys and mules if they
are not for trade.
The Nisaab for Camels
It should be remembered that zakaat becomes fard on
five camels. If a person possesses less than five
camels, zakaat will not be fard. In order to
understand the zakaat on camels easily, the following
table should be consulted:
1. If the number of camels is more than 200, the same
method of calculation as has been followed from 150
onwards should be continued.
2. If a person possesses camels and gives a camel as
zakaat, then this camel which he is giving as zakaat
will have to be a female camel. However, if a male
camel is of the same value as that of a female camel,
it will be permissible to give a male camel.
The Nisaab for Cattle
Bulls and buffaloes fall under the category of cattle.
The nisaab for both is also the same. If the nisaab of
cattle can be completed by adding both together, then
both will have to be added and zakaat given
accordingly. For example, if there are 20 bulls and 10
buffaloes, both will be added together thereby
completing the nisaab of 30. However, when paying the
zakaat, the animal that is more in number will have to
be given. In other words, if there are more bulls,
then bulls will have to be given. If there are more
buffaloes, buffaloes will have to be given as zakaat.
But if the buffaloes and bulls are equal in number,
then the cheap animal of the category which is
regarded as more valuable should be given or the
expensive animal of the category which is regarded as
less valuable should be given. The following table may
be consulted for zakaat on cattle:
The Nisaab for Sheep and Goats
As regards zakaat for sheep and goats, the nisaab for
both is the same. If the number of goats and the
number of sheep reaches the nisaab individually, the
zakaat of both will be given together and the number
of sheep and goats will be added together and zakaat
given of the total number. If the number of each does
not reach the nisaab, even then both will be added
together in order to complete the nisaab. The animal
that is more in number will be given as zakaat. But if
both are equal in number, one has the choice of giving
whichever one wishes. The following table may be
consulted for zakaat on sheep and goats:
Who is Entitled to Receive Zakaat
1. The person who possesses the nisaab of either gold
or silver, or trade goods which equal the nisaab of
either gold or silver is regarded as a rich person in
the Shariah. It is not permissible to give zakaat
money to him. Nor is it permissible for him to accept
or consume zakaat money. Similarly, the person who has
belongings which are not for the purposes of trade but
are over and above his basic needs, is also considered
to be a rich person. It is not permissible to give
zakaat money to such a person as well. Furthermore,
although he is regarded as a rich person, zakaat is
not wajib on him.
2. The person who has very little wealth or has no
wealth at all to the extent that he does not have
sufficient food for one day is regarded as a poor
person. It is permissible to give zakaat to such a
person. It is also permissible for him to accept
zakaat money.
3. Large utensils, expensive carpets, etc. which are
very occasionally used in weddings and other functions
are not regarded as necessary items.
4. The following things are regarded as necessities of
life: a house to stay in, clothes that are worn,
slaves for domestic purposes, and furniture that is in
use. If a person possesses these things, he will not
be regarded as a rich person irrespective of the value
of these items. It is therefore permissible to give
zakaat to such a person. In the same way, the books
and other essentials of a learned person are also
included among the necessities of life.
5. A person owns several properties from which he
receives rent. The income of these properties is used
to run his own home. Alternatively, a person possesses
a few cows from which he receives a certain amount of
income. Despite this, he has a very large number of
dependents whereby he cannot live a comfortable life
and always finds himself in difficulties. Nor does he
have any wealth upon which zakaat could be wajib. It
is therefore permissible to give zakaat to such a
person as well.
6. A person has R1000 in cash with him. However, he is
also in debt for an amount of over a thousand rands.
It is permissible to give him zakaat as well. However,
if his debt is less than R1000, then this amount that
he is owing will be subtracted from the cash that he
possesses. Thereafter we will have to see whether the
balance that he has is more than the nisaab of zakaat
or less than it. If the balance is more than the
nisaab, zakaat cannot be given to him. But if it is
less, then zakaat can be given to him.
7. A person may be a very rich person at home.
However, while on a journey, all his money got stolen
or exhausted in some other way to such an extent that
he does not even have sufficient funds to reach his
eventual destination. It will be permissible to give
zakaat to such a person. Similarly, a person who is
travelling for hajj and who may be a rich person can
also be given zakaat money if all his money gets
spent.
8. Zakaat cannot be given to a kaafir. It will have to
be given to a Muslim. All forms of charity can be
given to a kaafir except the following: zakaat, ushr,
sadaqatul fitr, nazr, and kaffarah.
9. Zakaat funds cannot be used for the building of a
musjid, for the shrouding and burial of a deceased
person, for the payment of debts on behalf of a
deceased person, or for any other noble purpose. As
long as zakaat is not given to the rightful person, it
will not be considered to be fulfilled.
10. Zakaat cannot be given to one's ascendents. That
is, to one's parents, maternal and paternal
grand-parents and even great grand-parents. In the
same way, zakaat cannot be given to one's descendants.
That is, to one's children, grand-children, great
grand-children, etc. In the same way, the husband and
wife cannot give zakaat to each other.
11. Apart from the above mentioned, it is permissible
to give zakaat to all other relatives such as one's
brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, maternal and
paternal uncles and aunts, step father or step mother,
step grandfather, father-in-law, mother-in-law, etc.
12. It is not permissible to give zakaat to immature
children if their father is rich. If the children are
mature and poor, but their father is rich, it will be
permissible to give zakaat to them.
13. If the father of an immature child is not rich but
the mother is, it will be permissible to give zakaat
to that child.
14. It is not permissible to give zakaat to the
progeny of Hadrat Faatimah radiallahu anha, the
progeny of Hadrat Ali radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Abbas
radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Ja'far radiallahu anhu, Hadrat
Aqeel radiallahu anhu, Hadrat Haarith bin Abdul
Muttalib radiallahu anhu. Similarly, the charities
which have been made wajib by the Shariah cannot be
given to the progeny of the above Sahabah. Such
charities are, nazr, kaffarah, ushr, sadaqatul fitr.
Apart from these, all other charities can be given to
them.
15. It is permissible to give zakaat to one's Muslim
servants, workers, employees, etc. However, this
zakaat should not be included in their wages or
salaries. Instead, it should be given separately as a
gift. At the time of giving this gift to them, one
should have the intention in his heart that he is
giving zakaat.
16. It is permissible to give zakaat to one's foster
mother and foster children.
17. The mahr of a woman was fixed at R1000. However,
the husband cannot fulfil this due to poverty. It will
be permissible to give zakaat to such a woman. It will
also be permissible to give zakaat to her if her
husband is rich but refuses to give, or if she has
absolved him from giving the mahr. If the woman knows
that if she had to ask her husband for her mahr, he
will give it to her without hesitation, it will not be
permissible to give zakaat to her.
18. A person gave zakaat to another person thinking
that he is poor. Later, he learnt that this person was
rich or he was a sayyid. Alternatively, he gave it to
someone on a dark night and later realized that the
person to whom he had given the zakaat was actually
his mother or daughter, or any other relative to whom
zakaat is not permissible. In all these cases, zakaat
will be considered to be fulfilled and there will be
no need to repeat the payment of zakaat. However, if
the person to whom the zakaat was given learns that
this was actually zakaat money and that he is not
eligible to receive zakaat, he should return the
zakaat money. If the person who gave the zakaat learns
that the person to whom he had given the zakaat was
actually a kaafir, he will have to give zakaat again.
19. A person has a doubt as to whether a certain
person is rich or poor. Zakaat should not be given to
him until it has been ascertained whether he is
eligible to receive zakaat or not. If zakaat is given
to him without ascertaining his financial position,
the person should check with his heart and see to
which side his heart is more inclined. If his heart
tells him that the person is poor, zakaat will be
fulfilled. If his heart tells him that the person is
rich, zakaat will not be fulfilled and will therefore
have to be repeated. But if he establishes the fact
that he is indeed a poor person after having given the
zakaat to him, then he does not have to give the
zakaat again.
20. At the time of giving zakaat and all other forms
of charity, one should first take one's relatives into
consideration. However, when giving them this zakaat,
they should not be told that it is zakaat so that they
do not feel offended. It is mentioned in the Hadith
that by giving charity to one's relatives one receives
a double reward - one reward for giving charity, and
one for showing kindness to one's relatives. After
giving the relatives, if there is any remainder, it
should be given to outsiders.
21. It is makruh to send the zakaat of one place to
another place. However, it will not be makruh to do so
in the following instances: (1) if one's poor
relatives live at another place, (2) the inhabitants
of that place are more deserving than the inhabitants
of this place, (3) the inhabitants of that place are
more involved in deeni activities. There is great
reward in sending zakaat to students of deen and pious
ulama.
Miscellaneous Masa'il on Zakaat
1. If a person mixes his halaal wealth with haraam
money, zakaat will have to be given on the total
amount.
2. If a person passes away without paying the zakaat
which was wajib on him, zakaat will not be taken from
his wealth. But if he makes a bequest that his zakaat
must be paid from his wealth, then this zakaat will be
taken from one third of his wealth irrespective of
whether this one third will be sufficient for the
payment of his zakaat or not. If his inheritors agree
to give from the balance of his wealth (i.e. more than
the one third), it will be permissible to take from
this balance according to the amount that the
inheritors specify.
3. If the creditor forgives his debtor from paying his
debt after the expiry of one year, the creditor will
not have to pay zakaat on this money for that year.
However, if the debtor is a rich person, the
creditor's forgiving him will be regarded as if he is
destroying his wealth. The creditor will therefore
have to give zakaat on this wealth. This is because
the destroying of zakaatable wealth does not absolve
one from paying zakaat.
4. The giving of optional charities is only mustahab
when one's wealth is over and above one's necessities
and the necessities of one's family members. If it is
not so, it will be makruh to give optional charities.
Similarly, it is also makruh to give all one's wealth
to charity. However, if the person has full conviction
on his trust in Allah Ta'ala and on his ability to
exercise patience and there is no possibility of any
harm befalling his family, it will not be makruh to do
so. Instead, it will be better to give all his wealth
in charity.
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PAY ZAKAH GENEROUSLY
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