Can wife give husband zakah.

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:

I`m working in a private organisation, earning good amount and paying zakat. This year I took a personal loan and it`s still going on. Hence I haven`t paid the zakat. On the other hand, my wife due to give her Zakat in few months time. Is it permissible for me to accept that zakat amount if she has decided to give it to me to close the loan? (Even if I get the amount I`ll not be closing the Loan immediately.) Pls advice. 

 

(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 wife give husband 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.

 

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 only 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

 

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.

 

Although it is not lawful for a man to give ‘zakah’ to those directly under his responsibility: ie. his wife, his children, and his parents …..there is allowance in Shariah where a wife can give ‘zakah’ and ‘sadaqah’ to her husband, if indeed her husband is poor and needy, or is unable to fulfill his basic needs.

 

 

Abu Said al-Khudri reported that Zainab (r.a.), the wife of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (r.a.), said: "O Prophet of Allah (saws)! Indeed you have ordered us today to give away ‘sadaqah’, and I have some jewelry which I wanted to give away as ‘sadaqah’; but my husband Ibn Mas'ud claims that he and his children deserve it more than someone else." The Prophet (saws) responded: "Ibn Mas'ud is right. Your husband and your children are more deserving."

Related by al-Bukhari.

 

Your Question: Is it permissible for me to accept that zakat amount if she has decided to give it to me

Beloved brother, if indeed you are amongst the poor or needy, or are unable to fulfill even the basic needs of yourself and your family…..then you might be eligible to receive ‘zakah’ or ‘sadaqah’ from your wife’s property.

 

But if the Lord Most Gracious has provided you with enough sustenance, and as you have stated you are earning well….and if you have taken out a personal loan to fulfill your ‘wants’ rather than your basic ‘needs’....then you would obviously not fall under the category of the poor or needy and thus you would not be eligible to receive ‘zakah’ funds from anyone.

 

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

 

 
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