Ash-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, may Allaah preserve him, was asked the following question:
هناك صعوبة في الوقت الحالي في وجود فقير لا يجد قوت يومه، حيث أني شاهدت في أحد الجمعيات في مدينة الرياض أن أغلب الذين يأخذون زكاة الفطر هم أناس يجدون قوت أشهر أو سنة فهل جائز إعطاؤهم الزكاة – زكاة الفطر؟
Question:
Currently there is difficulty in finding a poor person who can’t find his daily provision and I have witnessed from one of the charity organizations in the city of Riyadh that the majority of those who are receiving zakah al-fitr are people who possess a monthly provision or a yearly provision. So is it permissible to give them the zakah al-fitr?
يا إخواني لم يقل أحد ما تُعطى إلا الذي ليس عنده مئونة يومه وليلته، لم يقل هذا أحد، تُعطى للفقير، والفقير هو الذي لا يجد ما يكفيه لسنته، بأن لا يجد ما يكفيه لسنته، هذا هو الفقير، يُعطى من زكاة المال ويُعطى من زكاة الفطر، أما الذي يشترط قوت يومه وليلته هذا المُخرِج وليس المُخرَج إليه.
Answer:
Oh my fellow brothers, no one has said that it [i.e. zakat al-fitr] isn’t distributed except to the person who doesn’t have what will suffice himself for his night and his day, no has stated this. It should be distributed to the poor person and the poor person is the one who can’t find what will suffice himself for his [upcoming] year, meaning he won’t be able to find what will suffice himself for his [upcoming] year. This is the poor person who should be given from the zakaat of wealth and from the zakat al-fitr. As for the one who makes it a condition not possessing his day and his night sustenance, then this [condition] applies for the one distributing it [i.e. zakat al-fitr] and its not [a condition] for the person being given.
A Side Note: So here in Toronto, one can distribute his zakah al-fitr to a muslim family in his community who is struggling financially due to them being under debt or due to their monthly expenses being greater than their income.
Translated by
AbdulFattaah Bin Uthman
Abu Fajr
Shaykh Bin Baz was asked:
Question:
بخصوص الصدقة أو فطرة عيد الفطر، هل يجوز إعطاؤها لغير المسلمين؟ جزاكم الله خيراً.
Regarding Sadaqah or the Fitr of Eid al-Fitr, is permissible to give it to the non-Muslims? May Allaah reward you with good.
Answer:
أما الصدقة تطوع فلا بأس أن يعطاها الكافر الفقير الذي ليس حربي، يعني بيننا وبينهم أمان أو ذمة أو عهد لا بأس، يقول الله -جل وعلا- في كتابه العظيم
“As for the voluntary zakaah [sadaqah – charity], then there is no problem in giving it to the poor disbeliever, the one who is not hostile [against the Muslims via being in armies and militaries]. Meaning [if there is] between us [Muslims] and between them [the non Muslims to be given the charity] peace, safety and a covenant, there no problem. Allaah says – the Almighty in His Mighty Book:
لَا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.
[60:8]
أخبر سبحانه وتعالى- لا ينهانا عن هذا
He, Exhalted And High, informs us that He does not forbid us of this [giving sadaqah to the disbeliever]”.
End quote.
Then the Shaykh proceeds to inform us about the ruling of giving the obligatory Zakaah to the non-Muslims:
أما الزكاة لا، لا يعطاها إلا المؤلفة قلوبهم، الزكاة يعطاها المؤلفة من رؤساء العشائر، كبار القوم, الناس الذين إذا أعطوا يرجى إسلامهم، إسلام من ورائهم، يدفعون عن المسلمين الشر؛ لأنهم رؤساء وكبار وأعيان، يعطوا من الزكاة لأن الله قال جل وعلا في كتابه العظيم:
“As for the [obligatory] Zakaah, no. It is not given except [to] the inclining hearts [from among them towards Islaam]. The Zakaat is given to them from among the inclining [indivuals] from the nation leaders, the big figures, and the people, the ones who, if it [the Zakaah] is given, it is hoped of their Islaam [being established], and the acceptance of Islaam from those under them [of their rulership]. They inflict [much] evil upon the Muslims since they are the heads, seniors, and dignitaries. They are given from the Zakaah because Allaah the All-Mighty says in His Mighty Book:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
As-Sadaqat (here it means Zakat) are only for the Fuqara’ (poor), and Al-Masakin (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and for to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujahidun – those fighting in the holy wars), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allah. And Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.
[9:60]
والكافر الذي يؤلف يرجى إسلامه أو يرجى دفع شره عن المسلمين، أو إسلام من ورائه، لا بأس أن يعطى من الزكاة، أما عامتهم فلا يعطون من الزكاة ولكن يعطون من غير الزكاة؛ لأنها للفقراء.
And the disbeliever, the one whom it is hoped he will incline [with] his Islaam or the one whom it is hoped his evil will be deflected away from the Muslims or the acceptance of Islaam from those under them, [then there is] no problem giving them from the Zakaah. As for the common folk [i.e. literally ‘their common folk’]], then they are not given from the Zakaah, and rather, they are given from other than the Zakaah because [the Zakaah] is for the poor”.
End quote.
Translated by
Aashir Khan
Abu Layth
