Using Zakaat to Pay Another Person's School Fees
Question
If a person is eligible for zakaat and he needs to pay school fees for his kids, can I tell him that I will pay the school fees (with zakaat money)?
Answer
You may give him the zakaat and let him pay the school fees by himself.
Q: The problem is that if the money is given to him he will not utilize it for wholesome purposes (he has a bad habit) so I thought that I can pay the fees on his behalf i.e. as if he appointed me to do so.
A: The zakaat will be discharged provided you pay it with his consent.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
ويشترط أن يكون الصرف ( تمليكا ) لا إباحة كما مر ( لا ) يصرف ( إلى بناء ) نحو ( مسجد و ) لا إلى ( كفن ميت وقضاء دينه ) أما دين الحي الفقير فيجوز لو بأمره (الدر المختار 2/344 )
- Answered by
- Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
Fatawa SA is an independent, read-only index of fatawa already published by Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen. It is not a fatwa service. For your own situation, ask the issuing Darul Ifta directly.