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:

Asalamo alaikum,

I am regular reader of your q&a. Its very informative and easy way to keep abreast with the teachings of Islam. I need to know more about the zakat and following are my questions if you could answer asap since i intend to pay out zakat within ramadan:

1) Can i pay zakat to return the loan of my father who has hafty amounts as loan to his credit as he is unable to pay by himself? I know that zakat can not be paid to one's own family but this is a specific issue since my father is lent a lot of money and people are bothering us? Please advise as this could partially resolve my father's burden.

I am anxiously waiting for your reply.

Regards,

Your brother in islam.

(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:

Can one pay zakat to father?

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.

It is not permissible in Islam for a child to give from the zakat dues to the people who are already under his sponsorship, which includes his parents, grand-parents, great-grand-parents (and upwards), his children, and his wife. These immediate family members are his prime responsibility in the first place, and he is obligated to spend on them from his funds other than zakat.

But it is permissible, if one so wills, to help his needy brother, sister, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc. from the zakat funds.

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas that a woman of the Juhainah tribe came to the Prophet (saws) and said, 'My mother had vowed to perform pilgrimage, but she died before she could fulfill her vow. Should I do it on her behalf?' The Prophet (saws) said, 'Yes. Perform Hajj on her behalf. Would you not pay the debt of your mother if she had owed someone? Fulfill it. Allah is more deserving of receiving payment for what is due to Him'."

Related by Al-Bukhari

It is considered the duty of the son to pay the debts of his parents, and he has to pay them from his own funds. It is not permissible in Islam to give anything from the zakat dues to one’s parents.

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