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 AN ISLAMIC PROPAGATOR,I EARN MY LEAVING THROUGH TEACHING IN THE MADRASAS AND MASJID,MY PAYMENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH CANNOT SUSTAIN ME AND MY FARMILY,CAN I PAY ZAKAATUL-FITR FOR MY FARMILY AND AM I ALSO ENTITLED TO RECIEVE ZAKATUL-FITR AND FIDYA MONEY THAT IS PAID BY A SICK AND OLD PEOPLE WHO CANNOT FAST IN RAMADHAN ?

JAZAAKALLAH.
MAS SALAAM. 

(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:

Eligible to receive zakah

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.

Your Statement: MY PAYMENT AT THE END OF THE MONTH CANNOT SUSTAIN ME AND MY FARMILY

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 60:

60 Alms 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:

1. To the poor
2. To the needy
3. To those who are employed to administer the zakah funds
4. To those whose hearts have recently been reconciled to the Truth of Islam (new-muslims)
5. For those in bondage
6. For those in debt
7. In the Cause of Allah
8. To the way-farer or traveler

If the income you generate is not enough to fulfill the needs of your family, you are indeed eligible to receive the ‘zakah’ and ‘fidya’ dues from the believers.

Your Question: ….CAN I PAY ZAKAATUL-FITR FOR MY FARMILY AND AM I ALSO ENTITLED TO RECIEVE ZAKATUL-FITR

In principle, even people who are eligible to receive ‘zakah’ are to pay the ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ if they have enough to feed their family.

‘Zakat-ul-fitr’ is to be paid to those extremely poor people who do not have enough even to afford a square meal for themselves and their family on the Day of Eid; and it is to such extremely destitute believers unto whom ‘zakat-ul-fitr’ is due.

If the income you generate is enough to feed yourself and your family, then you would be entitled to pay ‘zakat-ul-fitr’; but if the income you generate is not enough to afford yourself and your family even a square meal on the Day of Eid, indeed you would be eligible to receive ‘zakat-ul-fitr’.

Al-Baihaqi and ad-Daraqutni relate: "The Messenger of Allah (saws) enjoined the zakat ul-fitr, and also said: 'Free them (the poor) from want on this day.'"

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