Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

As-salaam-alaikum. Am I responsible for paying Zakatul Fitr if my wife is Christian and I am Muslim? Also, do I pay Zakat on our wealth even though she is not Muslim? Is it acceptable for me to divide our wealth in half and pay Zakat on that half? 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Does one have to spend on christian wife?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: Am I responsible for paying Zakatul Fitr if my wife is Christian and I am Muslim?

The dues of ‘zakah’ and ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ are due only from Muslims. If one’s wife is a Christian, then there is no ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ due from her.

Q-2: Also, do I pay Zakat on our wealth even though she is not Muslim?

The ‘zakah’ is due only from the believers, and there is no ‘zakah’ on the wealth of the non-muslims, even if she is one’s wife. Thus if your Christian wife has wealth of her own, she will not be liable to pay ‘zakah’ on her wealth. But you must pay zakah on your wealth.

Q-3: Is it acceptable for me to divide our wealth in half and pay Zakat on that half? 

You are responsible as a believer to pay the full zakah on your excess wealth. It would not be acceptable or legal for you to divide the wealth that belongs to you in half and pay zakah on that; for in Islam your wealth is your wealth, and the wife’s wealth is her wealth. You must pay zakah in full on the wealth that belongs to you.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan