Is the responsibility of Zakāt a strictly individual responsibility or can it be joint say in the case of husbands and wives?

  Q: Is the responsibility of Zakāt a strictly individual responsibility or can it be joint say in the case of husbands and wives? Most spouses would have joint finances and liabilities or would treat theirs as such. الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Zakāt is strictly a personal obligation.  Even in jointly […]

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Can Zakat ul Fitr only be distributed in the form of food?

Q: Is it permissible for Zakat ul Fitr to be given in the form of cash or new clothes, or must it be spent on food?  الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Zakatul Fitr can be given in the form of cash or new clothes and does not have to be spent on food.  […]

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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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Q: Is the responsibility of Zakat a strictly individual responsibility or can it be joint say in the case of husbands and wives?

Q: Is the responsibility of Zakat a strictly individual responsibility or can it be joint say in the case of husbands and wives?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب   A: Zakat is strictly a personal obligation.  Even in jointly owned wealth the obligation of zakat remains personal.  Thus, if a husband and […]

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Why does one need to pay Zakat on a pension plan if one does not get access till later?

 Q:  I have recently setup a SI pension plan account where I can manage the investment but the principal and the gains are not available to me till the age of 55. Is the investment value still zakatable in the years leading up to age 55?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب   A: […]

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Please can Al-Qalam advise if they have carried out an onsite audit at the National Zakat Foundation London Shelter?

Q: Respected Scholars, Further to the Al-Qalam fatwa on the National Zakat Foundation (NZF) dated 25th February 2013, please can the Al-Qalam panel advise as to how the panel is assured that NZF does indeed adhere to the requirements of the fatwa? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: Al-Qalam has an agreement with […]

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Please can the Al-Qalam Shari’ah Panel advise as to whether they consider the National Zakat Foundation as a suitable organisation to give Zakat money to?

Q: Please can the Al Qalam Shari’ah Panel advise as to whether they consider the National Zakat Foundation as a suitable organisation to give Zakat money to? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: We have spent some time looking into how National Zakat Foundation operate. Please click here for our fatwa on this. […]

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