Zakaah , Dought & clear, - * Is it permissible to give zakaah to a family fund to help the poor?

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I have 5000 pounds and one and a half years have passed since I acquired them. What is the zakaah that must be paid? If anything is left of this 5000 after another year has passed, will I have to pay zakaah on it? In our family we have a fund in the name of the family and I pay a certain amount of money to help the poor members of the family. I am late in paying; can I give them the zakaah of this money so long as it is an ongoing charity?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever has money that reaches the nisaab (minimum amount at which zakaah becomes due) and a full hijri year has passed (since acquiring it) has to pay zakaah on it.
This nisaab for money is the equivalent of 85 grams of gold or 595 grams of silver, whichever is lower in value.
Seeal-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/103-104);Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthyameen, 18/248.
Based on this, the amount that you have – 5000 pounds – reaches the nisaab, so you have to pay zakaah.
Secondly: The amount that you have to give is one-quarter of one-tenth, or 2.5%. With regard to the amount in question – 5000 pounds – the zakaah that is due is 125 pounds.
Thirdly: If a hijri year has passed since you acquired the nisaab, then zakaah must be paid immediately and it is not permissible to delay it. Seeal-Sharhal-Mumti’, 6/186.
Based on this, your delaying zakaah for half a year after the full year had passed is a shortcoming and you have to repent from that and hasten to give the zakaah.
Fourthly: With regard to your question, “If anything is left of this 5000 after another year has passed, will I have to pay zakaah on it?”, the answer is: every time a year has passed and the nisaab (minimum amount) is still there, zakaah is due on it. If the amount of money falls below the niasaab then no zakaah is due. If the money reaches the nisaab again then zakaah is due again, and the reckoning of the year should start from the time when the money reaches the nisaab.
Fifthly: With regard to giving the zakaah to the family fund, there are eight areas in which zakaah may be spent, which Allaah has described in the verse where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”
[al-Tawbah 9:60]
Giving zakaah to poor relatives is better than giving it to others, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Charity given to a poor person is charity, and charity given to a relative is two things: charity and upholding the ties of kinship.” Narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2582; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa’i.
There is nothing wrong with giving zakaah to the family fund, so long as you tell the person in charge of the fund that this is zakaah, so that he will spend it in one of the areas defined in the verse quoted above, and he will hasten to spend it immediately.
And Allaah knows best.

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Zakaah , Dought & clear, - * It is notpermissible to give zakaah to kaafirs except if it is to attractthe hearts of those who have been inclined towards Islam

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Is it permissible to give zakaah to a kaafir?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to give zakaah to a kaafir except if it is to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined towards Islam.
Ibn Qudaamah said inal-Mughni(4/106):
We do not know of any difference of opinion among the scholars regarding the fact that zakaah cannot be given to a kaafir. Ibn al-Mundhir said: Everyone from whom we acquired knowledge among the scholars is agreed that a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) cannot be given anything from the zakaah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh: “Teach them that they are obliged to give zakaah, to be taken from their rich and given to their poor.” He specified that it was to be given to their poor, i.e., the poor Muslims, just as he specified that it was to be taken from their rich. End quote.
If a kaafir is one of those who is inclined towards Islam, then he may be given something from the zakaah,
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen(the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujaahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”
[al-Tawbah 9:60]
It is permissible to give zakaah to a kaafir, if we hope that by giving him something he will become Muslim.
Seeal-Sharh al-Mumti’, 6/143-145
Ibn Qudaamah said inal-Mughni, 4/108:
The kaafir should not be given anything of the zakaah unless he is one of those who are inclined towards Islam.
It says inal-Mawsoo’ah(14/233):
Zakaah may be given to a kaafir who we hope will become Muslim, to encourage him to become Muslim because he is inclined towards Islam. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked:
Is it correct to give zakaah to a dhimmi?
He replied:
According to the majority of scholars, zakaah cannot be given to a dhimmi or any other kaafir. This is the correct view, and there are many verses and ahaadeeth which speak of this. Zakaah is a means of help given by the Muslims to their poor, and to take care of their needs, so it must be distributed among their own poor and others among the eight categories mentioned in the verse, unless there are kaafirs who it is hoped will become Muslim, namely the leaders who are obeyed among their tribes, who may be given zakaah in order to encourage them to become Muslim, or so that they will withhold their evil from the Muslims. Zakaah may also be given to new Muslims, to strengthen their faith or to encourage their peers to become Muslim too, or for other reasons that have been stated by the scholars.
The basic principle concerning that is the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen(the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam)…”
[al-Tawbah 9:60]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Mu’aadh ibn Jabal when he sent him to Yemen:
“Call them to testify that there is no god but Allaah and that I am the Messenger of Allaah. If they obey you in that, then teach them that Allaah has enjoined upon them five prayers each day and night. If they obey you in that, then teach them that Allaah has enjoined upon them charity (i.e., zakaah) to be taken from their rich and given to their poor.” Agreed upon.

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Zakaah , Dought & clear, - * Is it permissible to buy goods for the poor with zakaah funds instead if giving it to them in cash?

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I owe zakaah on my wealth. Is it permissible for me to buy food or clothing with the zakaah money and give them to the poor, instead of giving them cash, because if I give them cash they may spend it on things that are not beneficial, or they may spend it on sinful things?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The basic principle is that zakaah should be taken from the wealth on which zakaah is due, and given to the poor as it is.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about a man who owed zakaah: is it permissible for him to give it to his needy relatives or can he buy clothes or foodstuff for them with it?
He replied:
Praise be to Allaah. It is permissible to give zakaah to those who are entitled to it, even if they are relatives who are not among his dependents, but he should give them of his wealth, and they may delegate someone to buy whatever they want with it.
The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked about buying Islamic books with zakaah wealth and distributing them. They replied: It is not permissible to buy books with zakaah wealth and give them away, rather the wealth itself should be given to those who are entitled to it, as mentioned by Allaah in His Book where He said (interpretation of the meaning):
“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen(the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam);…”
[al-Tawbah 9:60]
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/47
If a person who is entitled to zakaah is a sinner and there is the fear that he may use some of this money for sinful purposes, then we should give the zakaah to one who spends on him, or to someone whom we trust will buy him what he needs.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a person who is addicted to smoking is poor, then we can give the zakaah to his wife and she can buy things herself that are needed for the house, and we can tell him: We have zakaah, do you want us to buy you such and such of essential needs? We can ask him to delegate us to buy these things, and in this way we will achieve the desired goal and avoid something haraam – which is helping him to commit sin, because the one who gives a dirham to a person to buy cigarettes with has helped him to commit sin and has done something that Allaah has forbidden, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“do not help one another in sin and transgression”
[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(17/question no. 262)
He was also asked: Is it permissible to give zakaah in the form of consumable goods and clothing, if it is known that in the case of some poor families it is better to buy these things for them, because there is the fear that if they are given cash, they will spend it on things in which there is no benefit?
He replied:
This is an important matter which people need to know: if the people of this household are poor, and if we give them money they will waste it by buying luxuries and things that are of no benefit, so is it permissible for us to buy them essential needs and give them to them?
What is known to the scholars is that it is not permissible to do this, i.e., it is not permissible for a person to buy specific things with his zakaah and give them instead of money. They said: That is because money is more beneficial to the poor, because he can spend the money however he wants, unlike specific goods of which he may have no need, in which case he will sell them for less.
But there is a way around this if you fear that if you give money to this family, they will spend it on things they do not need. You can say to the head of the household – whether that is the father, the mother, the brother or the uncle: I have zakaah, what are the things you need, so that I can buy them for you and send them to you? If you do it in this way, that is permissible, and the zakaah will be given as it should be.
And Allaah knows best.

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Zakaah , Dought & clear, - * Is it permissible to distribute zakaah on a monthly basis? Can it be converted into food?

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We are in Indian city of new Bombay, in our village muslims are in majority we collect the Zakat in Ramadhan and then distribute whole year among poor in the form of money and food stuff. Is it sharia allow this?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is not permissible to give zakaah on wealth or zakaat al-fitr to kaafirs, and it is not permissible to give zakaah to any kaafir except the one who is inclined towards Islam, in the sense that you hope that he will become Muslim if you give him zakaah.
See question no. 39655and 21384.
Secondly:
Once zakaah becomes due on wealth, it must be paid immediately, and it is not permissible to delay it.
Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If he delays it – i.e., zakaah – in order to give it to one who is more entitled to it among his relatives, or to one who is in great need, if it is a small amount there is nothing wrong with that, but if it is a large amount, it is not permissible.
Al-Mughni, 2/290
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked about an organization which collects zakaah from the rich then delays distributing it for a year, on the grounds that there is help in the springtime, help in Ramadaan and so on. What is the ruling on this delay, since the owners of the wealth have discharged their duty of paying zakaah and have given it to us (to distribute)?
They replied:
This organization should distribute the zakaah to those who are entitled to it and not delay it if they have found people who are entitled to it.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al’Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 9/402
See also question no. 13981.
But on occasion it may be more useful not to give the zakaah to a poor person in one go, so that he will not spend it all and be left with no money; in that case he may be given something each month.
In this case you should discuss the matter with the rich, and collect zakaah from them a year ahead, then give it to the poor in monthly installments, or take it from the rich ahead of time in installments and give it to the poor in monthly payments. Then it will not be delayed after it has become obligatory. This requires discussing it with the rich and convincing them of the good purposes that will be served by that.
Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Ahmad said: It is not permissible to give zakaah to his relatives in monthly installments, i.e., he should not delay paying it so that he can give it to them in separate amounts, giving them something each month. But if he pays it all to them ahead of time, or to others in separate payments or all at once, that is permissible because it is not being delayed from its time.
End quote fromal-Mughni, 2/290
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
Is it permissible for me to pay my zakaah in advance for the whole year, in the form of regular payments to a poor family each month?
They replied:
There is nothing wrong with giving zakaah before one full year has passed, one or two years in advance, if a good purpose will be served by that, and it is given to a deserving poor family on a monthly basis.

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