Distributing Zakat Through An Agent

Question:
I have sent my zakat for the year to my father in-law to distribute
within Pakistan on my behalf, but I have a concern as to how far
myresponsibilities lie on following up where this money goes. My
father in-law distributes this money to people he knows as genuinely
poorand also to Islamic madrasas. I don't want to question him in
great detail as he may think I am questioning my trustin him. However,
I believe he did not give all the money away. He is in great debt
which my husband and I will take it on ourselves to pay off, but I do
not wishmy zakat money to go tohim, as I believe my husband and I
should pay this and will pay it insha'Allah.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
There are certain points worth considering here:
1) Paying Zakat through an agent (wakil) is permitted. It is
permissibleto appoint a person or an organization to distribute Zakat
on one's behalf uponthe eligible and worthy recipients. (See: Radd
al-Muhtar ala al-Durr, 2/268-269)
However, in doing so, one should keep two things in mind:
Firstly, one should have full trust and confidence that the agent will
distribute the Zakat to only worthy recipients, and not misuse it in
any way.
Secondly, if the agent doesnot distribute the Zakat upon worthy
recipients, then Zakat will not be regarded as fulfilled, henceit will
remain an obligation on the Zakat-payer. Zakat will only be considered
fulfilled when the agent utilizes and distributes it on worthy
recipients.
2) Zakat cannot be given to one's parents, grandparents. Similarly,
one's children, grandchildren. However, it is permitted to give Zakat
money to one's father in-law and mother in-law, provided they are
worthy recipients. (Radd al-Muhtar, 2/346)
3) If one gives Zakat to an agent, it will be permitted for that agent
to distributethe Zakat on his parents, relatives and any other person
(provided he/she isworthy of receiving Zakat).However, it will not be
permitted for that agent to use Zakat for his personal benefit.
Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states:
"It is permissible for an agent to give Zakat wealthto his poor son
and poor wife but not use it himself,unless if the Zakat-payer asked
him to use the Zakatwealth in any manner he wishes." (See: Radd
al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/269)
The meaning of this is thatnormally an agent cannot use Zakat wealth
for his own personal benefit. However, if the one giving Zakat and
appointing him an agent said to him:"Distribute this Zakat wealth in
any manner you wish" or "Give it to whomever you desire", then in such
a case, it will be permitted for that agent to use the Zakat wealth
for his personal needs.
Keeping the above three points in mind; we come to your specific question.
You state that you have given your Zakat to your father in-law in
order for itto be distributed upon worthy recipients. Thus, in light
of point number one, if you had full trust and confidence that he
would use and distribute the Zakat in a proper manner, then there is
nothing to worry about.
However, if this is not the case, and you fear that dueto him being
poor and in debt he may use the Zakathimself, then there are two
scenarios here.
We learnt in point numbertwo that one may give Zakat to one's father
in-law; hence if he used it for his personal benefit, your Zakat would
have been fulfilled. However, the problem here is that which was
outlined in point number three, in that an agent cannot use Zakat for
his personal benefit unless the Zakat-payer gives him permission to
distribute the Zakat in any manner he wishes and desires.
Thus, in conclusion, if you had full trust and confidence that your
father in-law would distribute Zakat in a proper manner, or you
thought that he may use ithimself, as he is a worthy recipient, and
you also said to him to use the Zakat wealth in any manner he wished,
then inall of these cases, your Zakat is valid and fulfilled.
However, if you have doubt in his distribution, and you did not give
him permission to distribute your Zakat in any manner he wished and
desired, then you should re-pay your Zakat.
And Allah knows best

Can Zakat only be paid in the month of Ramadan, or any time of the year?

Question:
Can Zakat only be paid inthe month of Ramadan, or any time of the year?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, with blessings & peace on the Beloved of Allah,
and his folk and all lovers of Allah
Walaikum assalam,
Zakat can be paid at any time, and should not be unduly delayed. [Ibn
Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar] The virtue of paying one's Zakat in Ramadan is
in that charity and good deeds are multiplied in this month.

I have 5 or 6 watches that have been given to me as gifts by various people over the last few y

Question:
I have 5 or 6 watches that have been given to me as gifts by various
people over the last few years, thetotal value of which comes to about
�3000. Do I have to pay zakat on these watches?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
The detailed rulings of zakat have been mentioned numerous times on
the SunniPath website.
Based on those rulings, there will be no zakat on the watches given to
you as gifts, unless they are gold/silver watches. In that case, the
value of the gold/silver will have to be appraised and zakat will be
payable on the appraised [weight] value.
Verily, Allah knows best.

How Does A Wife Who Has No Source Of Income Pay Zakat On Her Jewelry?

Question:
How does a wife who has no source of income pay Zakat on her jewelry?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
If an individual possesses in his/her ownership wealth in the form of
gold,silver, cash, merchandise, or livestock to the value ofthe
Zakat-payable amount(nisab), then Zakat will be obligatory upon them.
In the Hanafi School, one is also obliged to pay Zakat on gold and
silver jewellery even if the jewellery is for personal use. (See: the
various Fiqh references)
Thus, if a woman has in her ownership gold or silver the value of
which reaches the appointed Nisab amount, then she will be required to
pay Zakat. If she has money in the form of cash, she may pay the Zakat
from it; otherwise, she will have tosell some part of the jewellery in
order to pay the Zakat. She may even give an item from the jewellery
itself as Zakat to the poor and needy.
However, it is suggested that if she has no other savings, her husband
or father pay Zakat on her behalf with her permission. It will be as
though her husband or father is giving her some money as gift, and she
is utilizing that money to pay off her Zakat. If that is not possible,
she will have no alternative but to sell some part of the gold and
silver jewellery in order to fulfil her responsibility.
The same ruling would apply with ritual slaughter(udhiyya), in that if
one does not possess cash, onewill have to sell some part of the
wealth in order to fulfil this duty. Udhiyya becomes Wajib when one
has wealth (in any form) inexcess of one�s personal needs to the
amount of Nisab. Thus, even a male who has no cash on hand would be
required to sell some items and perform Udhiyya.
And Allah knows best