Is Zakat paid on a local initiative where money is collected to be distributed to needy local individuals?

Q: Is Zakat paid on a local initiative where money is collected to be distributed to needy local individuals? Two brothers run a small initiative, whereby people give monthly donations (usually £10) which goes into a separate account for that specific purpose/initiative. This money is then distributed to local people (by the 2 brothers) who are […]

Read more...

Who is liable to pay the Zakat for a limited company?

  Q: Is a limited company an independent entity in Islam and therefore liable for its own Zakat or does its value belong to the shareholders? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: The liability to pay zakat falls on the shareholders and not the company itself. If taxes have been incurred on the zakat […]

Read more...

Is it permissible to give to charities who fund military arms or tobacco investments?

Q: Is it permissible to give charity to organisations if one knows they are funding military arms and tobacco investment? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Military armaments can be both permissible and impermissible depending on the situation at hand.  In fact, they can even be an obligation such as when needed for […]

Read more...

Is it permissible for Zakat funds to be spent on non-Muslim beneficiaries?

Q: Is it permissible for Zakat funds to be spent on non-Muslim beneficiaries? Can they be considered mu’allafati quloobuhum in this context? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: The category of “those whose hearts have to be reconciled” mentioned in Verse 60 of Surah Al-Tawbah refers to various groups of poor [according to […]

Read more...

Is it permissible to use Zakat to fund qard hasan, microfinance initiatives or invest into waqf projects?

Q: Is it permissible to use Zakat to fund qard hasan, microfinance initiatives or invest into waqf projects? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: It is not permissible to use zakat to fund qard hasan, microfinance initiatives or invest into waqf projects as none of these avenues satisfy the requirement of proprietary transfer […]

Read more...

Is it necessary for Zakat to be allocated and spent within 1 year of receiving the donation?

Q: What is the time-period for dispensing Zakat? Is it necessary for Zakat to be allocated and spent within 1 year of receiving the donation? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Zakat should be distributed as soon as possible.  If there are procedural delays in the PROPER discharge of zakat which includes proprietary […]

Read more...

Can charities be considered as al-amileen?

Q: Can charities be considered as al-amileen? If so, what percentage of Zakat may be used for administration costs, and what activities may be considered “administration”   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Aamileen, as mentioned in the Holy Qur’an are the state appointed officials who collect zakat on behalf of the ruler who […]

Read more...

Would it be permissible to pay zakat to an institution who are to spend it 100% on the living essentials of their pupils?

Q: Would it be permissible to pay zakat to the institution who are to spend it 100% on feeding, clothing and living essentials of the pupils? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: It is not sufficient to simply spend the zakat funds upon eligible recipients even if it is 100%.  This alone will not […]

Read more...

Am I allowed to give zakat to my husband’s mother?

Q: My husband’s family live abroad, they are not well off at all and his mother needs cancer medicine.  I think his father would have savings above the nisab (and not be eligible for zakat) but his mother on her own doesn’t have her own savings, would it be permissible to give my zakat directly […]

Read more...

Is it a priority to give Zakah here locally, to the needy in the UK or to the poor abroad?

Q: Is it a priority to give Zakāh here locally, to the needy in the UK or to the poor abroad? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: There are several competing reasons as to how and where we should pay our Zakāh. For example: it is commendable to distribute Zakāh amongst relatives as […]

Read more...

Is is permissible to give Zakāt to pay off ones debts by giving the Zakāt to the creditor directly with the permission of the Zakah recipient?

Q: Is is permissible to give Zakah to pay off ones debts by giving the Zakah to the creditor directly with the permission of the Zakah recipient?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: It is sufficient for the discharge of Zakah to give the Zakah directly to the creditor of an eligible recipient if it […]

Read more...