Give zakah to sister
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-Salam-Alaikum,
I have a specific situation with one of my real sisters. She is married. Her
husband works and earns well. They have no problems as far their basic needs of
food, clothing etc. are concerned. But they have some problems in meeting some
of the other requirements such as basic household goods etc. She complains of
not having enough money with her to meet these needs.
I need to know whether I can give Zaka`h to her. I want
to give her some zaka`h, which she want to utilise to buy a sewing machine. She
would use it as a source of earning for herself. I would appreciate if you
could guide me in the light of Quran-o-hadith in this regard.
(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:
Give zakah to sister
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.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60:
60 Alms (zakah) are for the poor, and the needy, and those employed to
administer the (funds), for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled
(to the Truth), for those in bondage and in debt, in the Cause of Allah, and
for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah and Allah is full of Knowledge
and Wisdom.
Allah Subhanah has prescribed
that ‘zakah’ should be paid to any of the above eight listed categories only:
- To the poor
- To the needy
- To those who are employed to administer the
zakah funds
- To those whose hearts have recently been
reconciled to the Truth of Islam (new-muslims)
- For those in bondage
- For those in debt
- In the Cause of Allah
- To the way-farer or traveler
Allah Subhanah has Commanded and
Guided the believers that ‘Zakah’ must be distributed to any of the above eight
categories only; for all other categories, one may help them through voluntary
and supererogatory charity or ‘sadaqah’ but not through ‘Zakah’ funds.
The only people one is
prohibited in Shariah to give ‘zakah’ to, even if they fall amongst the above
listed eight eligible categories are those individuals whose financial upkeep
is ones obligatory responsibility and duty in Shariah: like one’s parents,
one’s wife and one’s children.
It is absolutely permissible in
Shariah for one to spend of one’s ‘zakah’ dues on one’s sister. If one finds
that one’s own sister (or relative) is needy, then such a relative has the
biggest right that ‘zakah’ dues be spent on them.
The Messenger of
Allah (saws) said: "Charity for the poor is rewarded as one good deed; but
in the case of a relative it is considered as two: [one reward for helping]
blood ties, and [the other reward for] the charity [itself]."
Related by Ahmad,
an-Nasa'i, and at-Tirmidhi.
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
Wister