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:

I would like to ask you regarding one previous question about zakah,where you have adviced that there is no harm at all if one will pay next years zakah in advance according to most of scholers. my question is how can we pay any zakah(or any farz)in advance when we dont know if we will be alive in the next passing second of our life? any money we give in ALLAHS way other than our zakah or after clearing our due zakah is sadqah or khairaat.brother i am very disturbed since i read your answer to that particular question because before i was always satisfied with your replies.please give me some satisfactory answer.

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Answer:

Paying zakah in advance

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 none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 1620 Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Al-Abbas asked the Prophet (saws) about paying the ‘zakah’ in advance before it became due, and he (saws) gave permission to do that.

Respected brother in Islam, although the ‘zakah’ on one’s excess assets is only due after it has been in one’s possession for a full calendar year, there is an allowance and an option in Shariah for one to disburse one’s zakah in advance, if one indeed wishes to do so for any reason whatsoever.

Although it is an undeniable fact that one does not know whether or not one would be alive the next passing second of one’s life, leave alone a whole year…..if one, for any reason whatsoever chooses to pay one’s ‘zakah’ or a portion of it in advance, rest absolutely assured that the Lord Most Gracious is All-Aware and will diminish not the rewards of his believing slaves in the least.

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

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan