Question:

Can one give sweets to the poor and needy during mawlid gatherings using zakah funds?

Answer:

All praise is for Allah ﷻ, Lord of all the worlds. Peace and salutations upon our Master Muhammad ﷺ, upon his blessed family and his noble companions.

One cannot use zakah funds to distribute sweets during a mawlid gathering to the poor and needy. A person who requires zakah is more likely to need the money itself rather than sweets. It is wajib to make the recipient of zakah the owner of the zakah money. For this reason, the zakah on wealth is given as wealth to the needy.

Sweets on such blessed occasions can be distributed with the intention of gifting and giving sadaqah to the poor and needy.

And Allah knows best.

Dr Musharraf Hussain Al-Azhari
Director of British Fatwa Council