Question:
What do the scholars and experts of Islam say about the following people, can they receive Zakat?
- Uncle, auntie, and cousin
- Maternal uncle and auntie, maternal grandparent’s, and maternal cousins
- Father’s sister, her husband and their children
- Sister, who is married
- Nephew and niece
- Giving household furniture instead of cash
- A student
- Brother-in-law
- Someone who looks poor but may have wealth.
- Beggars
- Who are the real the recipients of Zakat?
- Can Zakat be spent on Mawlid or other feasts?
Answer
- Uncle, auntie and cousin are recipients if they do not have Nisab.
- Maternal uncle, auntie and cousins are recipients, but not grandparents.
- Father’s sister and her husband and their children, all can receive Zakat.
- Sister, who is married can receive Zakat if she is needy.
- Nephew and niece can receive Zakat
- Money for furniture can be given.
- It is permissible for students to recieve Zakat.
- Brother-in-law can also receive Zakat
- It is permissible to give Zakat to someone who looks to be poor but may have wealth.
- It is permissible but not encouraged to give Zakat to beggars.
- Zakat cannot be given to a Hashmi , a wealthy person, one’s father, son, daughter, grandchildren, parents, grandparents or one’s wife. Apart from these categories of people, Zakat can be given to all those who are in need.
- It is not permissible to spend Zakat on Mawlid or other feasts of this kind.
And Allah ﷻ knows best
Imam Ahmad Rida Khan رحمة الله تعالى عليه
Translation by Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari Translator of Majestic Quran, www.majesticquran.co.uk