Can someone stuck in a ribā-based loan give voluntary charity, or do they need to pay off the ribā-based loan first?

 Q: Can someone stuck in a riba-based loan give voluntary charity, or do they need to pay off the riba-based loan first, given that is a duty, and thereafter resume with giving voluntary charitable donations? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب   A: One who has taken a haram loan or a conventional mortgage should […]

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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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Is is permissible to give Zakah to someone in the form of food vouchers instead of cash?

Q: Is is permissible to give Zakah to someone in the form of food vouchers instead of cash?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: It is permissible to give food vouchers instead of cash.  However, the Zakah will only be discharged once the recipient receives the food.  A food voucher is an assignment of debt […]

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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 […]

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If you had the intention to give Zakah to a specific eligible individual, but when disbursing the money some weeks later you did not have a specific Zakah intention, is this valid?

Q: If you had the intention to give Zakah to a specific eligible individual, but when disbursing the money some weeks later you did not have a specific Zakah intention, is this valid?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومنه الصدق والصواب A: In order for Zakah to be valid one must make the intention of Zakah either at […]

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Why can’t the government be considered agents who distribute Zakah, therefore allowing us to offset tax paid against Zakah?

Q: Why can’t the government be considered agents who distribute Zakah, therefore allowing us to offset tax paid against Zakah?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: There are three important considerations to your question:  Firstly, does the state have the authority to collect Zakah from its subjects? Secondly, if tax is collected by the […]

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Is there a difference of opinion amongst jurists regarding ‘payment in kind’ for Zakah?

Q: Is there a difference of opinion amongst jurists regarding ‘payment in kind’ for Zakah?   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: There is a difference amongst jurists as to whether Zakah has to be given from the same wealth for which it is liable.  E.g., if Zakah is payable on wheat then whether wheat […]

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Please elaborate on the intention needed for Zakah.

Q: Please elaborate on the intention needed for Zakah.   الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: When giving Zakah to the recipient one must make the intention that what he/she is giving is being given as Zakah. Without this intention, the money given will be a form of optional charity and not Zakah.  However, when […]

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What is the distinguishing difference between a trust and waqf?

Q: What is the distinguishing difference between a trust and waqf? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: The fundamental difference between the forms of trusts discussed in the document on trusts and a valid waqf is that in the latter property is taken out of one’s ownership and passed in to the ownership […]

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What should a charity do with interest (riba), and income generated from interest, that it receives?

Q: What should a charity do with interest (riba), and income generated from interest, that it receives? Our charity receives Haram Interest from individuals & business. Whilst that is sitting in the charity’s Islamic bank accounts what is the status of the (halal) return generated? Does it have the same restrictions as the Interest capital? […]

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Can student loans be taken off as a liability for zakah purposes?

Q: Can student loans be taken off as a liability for zakāh purposes? 31st December 2010 Is a Student Loan added to ones zakāh liability section as a whole in every zakāh year until it is paid off unlike most deferred payment loans such as mortgages, where only the coming 12 months instalments will be […]

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Please explain which descendants of the Holy Prophet Muhammad are not allowed to receive zakah?

Q: Please explain which descendants of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s)are not allowed to receive zakāh? الجواب حامدًا و مصليًا و منه الصدق و الصواب A: It is actually not the descendants of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s)that are prohibited from receiving Zakat but rather certain descendents of Banu Hashim of whom the Holy Prophet […]

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