Volume - VII / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 11 / PAGE 2 OF 2
USES OF ZAKAAT
Q18: Is it lawful to give Zakaat to one's poor parents through "Heelah"?
A. It is "Makrooh" (odious) to give Zakaat to one's poor parents through "Heelah" i.e. to give Zakaat money to a "Faqeer" who may, taking possession thereof, give it to one's parents. Likewise, to give Zakaat to one's children, posterity through "Heelah" is also Makrooh.
Q19: Can a husband give Zakaat to his divorced wife or not?
A. A husband who has divorced his wife can not give Zakaat to her so long as she is in "Iddat" (three months probationary period for a divorced woman) but after completion of "Iddat" he can give to.
Q20: Can Zakaat be given to the mature children and wife of a rich man or not?
A. Zakaat can be given to the mature children and wife of a rich man and likewise to his father provided that they are Faqeer i.e. are not solvent if are solvent then Zakaat will not be deemed to have been paid.
Q21: Can Zakaat be given to a child of solvent one?
A. Zakaat can be given to a child whose father has died and his mother, who is solvent, is his sole supporter.
Q22: What is meant by "Bani Haashim" to whom Zakaat can not be given?
A. "Bani Haashim" means the posterity of Hadrat AH, Ja'far, Aqeel and Hadrat 'Abbaas and Haaris bin Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them all) and the posterity of other ones who opposed the Holy Prophet except these revered personages, like Abu Lahab, an unbeliever, who was also a son of Hadrat Abdul Muttalib will not be taken as descendent of Bani Haashmi.
Q23: Can Zakaat be given to the one whose mother is Haashmi but father is non-Haashmi?
A. The one whose mother is Haashmi, nay, Saiey-yidaani i.e. hailing from the descendants of Hadrat Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) and his father is non-Haashmi, is not Haashmi as lineage of one develops from father under Shari'ah. Zakaat can be given to such person if there is no other Shar'ee restriction. It is pertinent to mention here that those who claim to be Haashmi, Saieyyid because of their mother's being Haashmi,Saieyyidaani deserve, according to a Hadees, curse. May Allah Almighty protect us - Aameen.
Q24: Can any other "Sadaqah" be given or not to the ones to whom Zakaat can not be given?
A. "Sadaqah Waajibah" like "Nazar" (oblation,offering), "Kaffaarah"(atonement) and "Sadaqatul Fitr" (charity prescribed for Eidul Fitr) can not be given to the ones to whom giving Zakaat is unlawful. Sadaqatul Fitr should not be given to Hindu beggars at all who throng to cities and roam about in streets on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. If given unknowingly, be paid again to the deserving one.
Q25: Can Zakaat be given or not to the one whose beliefs are erroneous?
A. It is impermissible and unlawful to give Zakaat to the one who claims to be a Muslim but is cut off from "Ahle Sunnat wal Jama'at" i.e. Hanafi, Shaafa'i, Hanmbli and Maalki creeds and has adopted a separate way to follow the religion. He is "Bad-Mazhab" and "Bad Aqeedah" (the one who has erroneous beliefs).
In the present age, there is a sect - "Wahaabi" which claims to be Sunni Hanafi but in fact the followers of this sect are insolent to Allah and His Prophet Saiey-yidinaa Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him). They try to denigrate the greatness of the Holy Prophet. Giving Zakaat to such people is absolutely forbidden and unlawful. If given, the obligation will remain unfulfilled and it will have to be given again to the deserving one.
Q26: Can a woman possessing costly dowry take Zakaat or not?
A. The dowry a woman receives from her parents is her property. It consists of two types of things i.e. necessary commodities like family goods, cloths, vessels, utencils etc. How costly these items may be, woman will not be deemed to be solvent because of these necessaries. And non-essential things like jewellery, ornaments, valuable commodities, costly cloths etc. If the value of all such items reaches Nisaab then woman is solvent and hence she can not take Zakaat.
Q27: Is it must for the recipient of Zakaat to be a Faqeer?
A. Being Faqeer is must for all those kinds of people about whom it has been explained that Zakaat can be given to them i.e. recipient of Zakaat should not be solvent except for "Aamil" (being Faqeer is no condition for him) and "Ibnus Sabeel" who falls within the category of Faqeer even though he may be rich at home.
Zakaat can not be given to one who does not fall within the category of Faqeer.
Q28: Can Zakaat be given to one's servant and any other of the ilk or not?
A. Giving Zakaat to one's servant or family servant or to the one who brings good news or to the one who sends gift, is permissible,lawful. But if it is given as return or compensation to them then Zakaat would not be deemed to have been paid. It would however be deemed to have been paid if given to servant or maid as "Eidi" (Eid's gift).
Q29: Will Zakaat be deemed to have been paid or not if given to the one who looks like beggar?
A. If one gave Zakaat to a person who keeps company with beggars, on his beseech or gave to a person who does not look like beggars but supplicated him for aid, considering the supplicant poor, Zakaat would be deemed to have been paid.
Q30: Will Zakaat be deemed to have been paid or not if given to a stranger without any consideration?
A. If one gave Zakaat to a stranger without considering as to whether he deserved it or not and later it came to know that he was not deserving, Zakaat would not be deemed to" have been paid. If came to know that he was deserving then it would be deemed to have been paid.
Q31: Will Zakaat be deemed to have been paid or not if the giver was in doubt whether the recipient is deserving or not but even then he gave him?
A. If the giver of Zakaat was in doubt while giving Zakaat but even then he paid to the doubtful person without any consideration or he considered but remained uncertain or he had an idea that the recipient was not deserving but even then he gave Zakaat to him, then it would not be deemed to have been paid. But if he came to know later-on that he was deserving one then Zakaat would be deemed to have been paid.
Q32: What is the excellent way of paying Zakaat?
A. The excellent way of paying Zakaat and Sadaqah is that one should first of all give to his brother(s) and sister(s) and then (in descending order) to their son(s) and daughter(s) i.e. nephew(s) and niece(s), uncle(s) and aunt(s), their son(s) and daughter(s), relatives, neighbours and inhabitants of one's village, town or city.
A Hadees reports the Holy Prophet saying: "O' the community of (Saieyyidinaa) Muhammad! by Him Who sent me with the truth, Allah Almighty does not accept Sadaqah of that person whose relatives deserve his aid but he gives it to un-related people. By Him in Whose hand my soul is, Allah Almighty will not show kindness to him on the Doomsday." Giving Zakaat and Sadaqah to relatives earns one double reward.
Q33: Can Zakaat be given or not to an emergency subscription?
A. It is impermissible and unlawful to give Zakaat money to any emergency subscription,fund. The obligation of Zakaat is not fulfilled by this act i.e. if given it would be deemed to have not been paid because those who collect money for such subscription,fund mix Zakaat money with non-Zakaat ones and even collect from non-Muslims. Such mingled collection of money is neither Zakaat nor fit for Zakaat uses. However, if one gives Zakaat money to a reliable Faqeer who taking its possession gives to the subscription,fund at his own behalf then it can be used for any good work. In doing so both the giver of Zakaat and recipient (Faqeer) will get reward.
Q34: How is that for sending Zakaat money to other city?
A. It is "Makrooh" (undesirable) to send Zakaat money to other city (than one's own city) except for one's relatives who live there or the people of that city are in dire need or more pious people live there or sending there is in the greater interest of the Muslim community or for a student seeking religious knowledge there or one sent Zakaat money to the other city before the completion of his Zakaat year. In all such cases Zakaat can be sent to other city without any undesirability.
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