Q: My zakat is calculated yearly on 16th Sha’ban. This year for example, it was £500. My habit is to split the £500 into 11 monthly payments. My aim is to pay the zakat £500 before the next years Sha’ban. However, sometimes I budget and maybe miss a few months. Thus for example by 16th […]
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How should Islamic charities balance the obligation to give Zakat to local people in need versus giving Zakat to people in need internationally?
Q: How should Islamic charities balance the obligation to give Zakat to local people in need (i.e. in the same countries as their donors) versus giving Zakat to people in need internationally? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: There are several competing reasons as to how and where we should pay our zakat. […]
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...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 permissible for an Islamic charity to give Zakat funds to individual beneficiaries in the form of goods rather than cash?
Q: Is it permissible for an Islamic charity to give Zakat funds to individual beneficiaries in the form of goods (rather than cash)? This could include livelihood equipment, such as sewing machines, farming equipment, livestock; medication or medical treatments; school books; education or training courses; paying salaries of service providers (e.g. teachers or doctors). الجواب […]
Read more...Is it permissible for an Islamic charity to spend Zakat funds on assets owned collectively by poor and needy communities?
Q: Is it permissible for an Islamic charity to spend Zakat funds on assets owned by poor and needy communities, and which aim to benefit and assist poor and needy individuals? This may include building or financially supporting schools, hospitals, orphanages or wells. الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A: The principle recipients of […]
Read more...Can Zakat be given to those who have been in an accident and need an emergency life saving operation?
Q. Can Zakāt be given to those who have been in an accident and need an emergency life saving operation? Can this fall under the category of ‘debtors’ as the individual needs to pay this money for the operation in order to survive? الجواب حامدا ومصليا ومسلما ومنه الصدق والصواب A. Zakāt can be given only if […]
Read more...How should a house wife pay Zakāt on her jewellery if she has no source of income of her own ?
Q: How would a wife pay her Zakāt if she has Gold/Silver equal to or above the minimum level but no source of income of her own to pay the Zakāt from? As she does not work and has her living and daily costs paid by her husband! Would she have to sell some of her […]
Read more...Do I have to pay zakah on Qard Hasana given to an individual?
Q: If an individual lends £2,000 to his relative on the basis of qarḍ ḥasana (gratuitous loan) and the £2,000 is still outstanding. How should the lender treat the outstanding £2,000 for the purposes of zakāh? الجواب حامدًا و مصليًا و منه الصدق و الصواب A: A personal loan is categorized as a ‘strong debt’.[1] […]
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...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 […]
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