Is disbursing Zakāt funds for freeing of prisoners and covering their legal costs or family needs deemed permissible usage of these monies?

Q: Can we give Zakāt funds to free prisoners? Also can Zakāt funds be used to help finance their legal costs as there is no ‘ransom’ pay for most prisoners nowadays?  Can we give Zakāt funds to their families left behind alone with no breadwinner?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب    A:  The freeing of prisoners […]

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Can we still give zakat to someone if we cannot know if they are eligible or not to receive it?

Q: I want to give my zakat to relatives back in Somalia. They are calling and asking for help, telling us how hard pressed they are. I have asked my immediate family if they know whether these relatives qualify to receive zakat. They only know what they have been told by the relatives, which is […]

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