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Collecting Zakah for a Needy Relative: OK?

22 June, 2021
Q As-salamu `alaykum. I am really happy that I find your site, which is a great source of knowledge, peace and service. I want to give thanks to all of your team for your work. Can I collect zakah money from my all relatives and give the money to one of my relatives who is a cancer patient and she needs money for better treatment and everyday cost? She is a widow also.

Answer

Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.


In this fatwa:

Zakah is distributed on bases of poverty and priority. It is also known that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has recommended relatives as prior recipients of zakah if they deserve it.

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In his response to your question, Prof. Dr. Monzer Kahf, Professor of Islamic Finance and Economics at Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies, states:

The criteria in distributing zakah in our time is twofold:

1- poverty and need,

2- the priority of needs and what is worst sufferance that can be relieved by zakah money.

Of course, if this woman is poor and in need for treatment and other expenses, she qualifies on poverty basis. Being a relative is an added point for reward.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.

About Prof. Dr. Monzer Kahf
Dr. Monzer Kahf is a professor and consultant/trainer on Islamic banking, finance, Zakah, Awqaf, Islamic Inheritance, Islamic estate planning, Islamic family law, and other aspects of Islamic economics, finance, Islamic transactions (Mu'amalat). Dr. Monzer Kahf is currently Professor of Islamic Finance & Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Management, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Turkey