We are two brothers and three sisters, both our parents are expired.
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:
Dear
Burhan,
Assalamalekum,
Keep it up your good work, may ALLAH give you HIS best rewards to you and to
everybody involved.
My
question is regrding Zakah, we are two brothers and three sisters, both our
parents are expired. Two sisters and we two brother are married and only the
youngest sister is balance for marriage. I am working in the gulf and sending
some amount back home where my brother and unmarried sister is living in the
rented house which is in my name. My brother is not well established and cannot
meet all the expenses. I have my some belongings in that house and we are also
staying in the same house during our vacation every year. My question is, the
money I am sending every month can be considered as Zakah and the marriage
expenses for the remaining sister can be taken from my zakah fund.
Please reply at the earliest.
Regards and JazakAllah Khair.
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errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from
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Answer:
Marry sister from
ones 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
to any of the above eight listed categories only:
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.
The only people one is prohibited in Shariah to give
‘zakah’ to, even if they fall amongst the above listed eight eligible categories
are those individuals whose financial upkeep is ones obligatory responsibility
and duty in Shariah: like one’s parents, one’s wife and one’s children.
Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, near or far relatives,
etc. do not fall under the category of those who are under one’s immediate or
direct wards or responsibility….thus if one finds one amongst one’s own kith
and kith poor or needy, because of their bond of kinship, these relatives have
the biggest right that ‘zakah’ dues are spent on them.
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:
"Charity for the poor is rewarded as one good deed; but in the case of a
relative it is considered as two: [one reward for helping] blood ties, and [the
other reward for] the charity [itself]."
Related by Ahmad, an-Nasa'i, and at-Tirmidhi.
It is not only permissible but highly meritorious for one
to spend of one’s ‘zakah’ dues on one’s near and far relatives, if indeed the
state of one’s relatives happens to be poor or needy, or falls under one of the
other above listed eight categories of eligibility.
Your
Question: ….My question is, the money I am sending every month can be
considered as Zakah and the marriage expenses for the remaining sister can be
taken from my zakah fund.
One of the absolutely
obligatory conditions of fulfilling one’s zakah obligations in Shariah is that
one should make intention (in one’s heart) BEFORE one pays the zakah dues. Indeed if you are helping your brother/sister
every month, or wish to spend some of your funds for the marriage of your sister,
you are eligible to spend from your zakah dues….but you must make intention
that the funds you intend to spend on them are from your zakah dues, BEFORE you
make the payments.
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
