How can potential Zakat recipients be determined?

Question: When determining who is eligible for Zakat ,what information and verification is required?           

Are any of the following acceptable methods of selecting Zakat recipients?

  1. Only ask the beneficiary, if they are eligible for Zakat?
  2. Ask the beneficiary for amount of savings, debts, income and expenditure to then calculate a rough eligility based on Nisab? Does the information provided need to be verified?

Answer:

الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب

The person distributing the zakat simply needs to be satisfied that the recipient is eligible.  This can be by:

  1. Asking the recipient a direct question (although this is not necessary);
  2. Asking people who know the recipient; and
  3. Making a calculated guess through observing the recipient and his situation.  The person distributing the zakat does not need to ask the recipient about savings, debts, income and expenditure etc.

Once the person distributing the zakat is satisfied that the recipient is eligible, zakat will be discharged even if it subsequently emerges that the recipient was no eligible.

And Allah knows best.

Mufti Mohammed Zubair Butt

Chair, Al-Qalam Shariah Scholars Panel

 

 

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