Zakat & Charity

5^th September 2018

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته 

Question: Is it permissible to donate optional charity to non-Muslims?

الجواب حامداً ومصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is permissible to give optional charity to Non-Muslims. Only Zakāt cannot be given to them.[1] Based on this, one can even donate optional charity towards Non-Muslim welfare projects such as cancer care projects, building hospitals, orphanages etc.

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by:  Maulana Anas Mullah      Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] وَأَمَّا أَهْلُ الذِّمَّةِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ صَرْفُ الزَّكَاةِ إلَيْهِمْ بِالِاتِّفَاقِ وَيَجُوزُ صَرْفُ صَدَقَةِ التَّطَوُّعِ إلَيْهِمْ بِالِاتِّفَاقِ، وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي صَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ وَالنُّذُورِ وَالْكَفَّارَاتِ قَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ وَمُحَمدٌ – رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – يَجُوزُ إلَّا أَنَّ فُقَرَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَحَبُّ إلَيْنَا كَذَا فِي شَرْحِ الطَّحَاوِيِّ. وَأَمَّا الْحَرْبِيُّ الْمُسْتَأْمَنُ فَلَا يَجُوزُ دَفْعُ الزَّكَاةِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ الْوَاجِبَةِ إلَيْهِ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ وَيَجُوزُ صَرْفُ التَّطَوُّعِ إلَيْهِ كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ

(الفتاوي الهندية، كتاب الزكاة، الباب الثالت في زكاة الذهب، الباب في المصارف، جلد ١، ص١٨٨)

)قَوْلُهُ: لِحَدِيثِ مُعَاذٍ) أَيْ الْمَارِّ عِنْدَ قَوْلِهِ وَمُكَاتَبٌ، إذْ لَا خِلَافَ أَنَّ الضَّمِيرَ فِي أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ يَرْجِعُ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ فَكَذَا فِي فُقَرَائِهِمْ مِعْرَاجٌ (قَوْلُهُ: غَيْرُ الْعُشْرِ) فَإِنَّهُ مُلْحَقٌ بِالزَّكَاةِ وَلِذَا سَمَّوْهُ زَكَاةَ الزَّرْعِ، وَأَمَّا الْخَرَاجُ فَلَيْسَ مِنْ الصَّدَقَاتِ الَّتِيفِيهَا وَمَصْرِفُهُ مَصَالِحُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَمَا مَرَّ وَلِذَا لَمْ يَسْتَثْنِ فِي الْكَنْزِ وَالْهِدَايَةِ إلَّا الزَّكَاةَ

لَكِنْ رَأَيْت فِي الْمُحِيطِ مِنْ كِتَابِ الْكَسْبِ: ذَكَرَ مُحَمَّدٌ فِي السِّيَرِ الْكَبِيرِ: لَا بَأْسَ لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يُعْطِيَ كَافِرًا حَرْبِيًّا أَوْ ذِمِّيًّا، وَأَنْ يَقْبَلَ الْهَدِيَّةَ مِنْهُ، لِمَا رُوِيَ «أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – بَعَثَ خَمْسَمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ إلَى مَكَّةَ حِينَ قَحَطُوا وَأَمَرَ بِدَفْعِهَا إلَى أَبِي سُفْيَانَ بْنِ حَرْبٍ وَصَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ لِيُفَرِّقَا عَلَى فُقَرَاءِ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ» وَلِأَنَّ صِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ مَحْمُودَةٌ فِي كُلِّ دِينٍ وَالْإِهْدَاءُ إلَى الْغَيْرِ مِنْ مَكَارِمِ الْأَخْلَاقِ إلَخْ وَسَنَذْكُرُ تَمَامَ الْكَلَامِ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فِي أَوَّلِ كِتَابِ الْوَصَايَا.

(رد المحتار، كتاب الزكاة، باب مصرف الزكاة والعشر جلد ٢، ص٣٥٢)

5^th September 2018

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته 

Question: Is it necessary give Fitrāna on behalf of one’s children?

الجواب حامداً ومصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful 

Answer:

With reference to your particular case, as a point of principle, Buloogh – maturity where obligatory worship becomes necessary – it is not a condition for fitrāna. Hence, the obligation of fitrāna rests on a child. The parents or legal guardian must pay it his/her own wealth. If the parent, however, pays it on behalf of their children with their money then that will suffice also.[1]

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by:  Maulana Anas Mullah      Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] وَتَجِبُ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ وَطِفْلِهِ الْفَقِيرِ كَذَا فِي الْكَافِي وَالْمَعْتُوهُ وَالْمَجْنُونُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الصَّغِيرِ سَوَاءٌ كَانَ الْجُنُونُ أَصْلِيًّا أَوْ عَارِضِيًّا، وَهُوَ الظَّاهِرُ مِنْ الْمَذْهَبِ كَذَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ. ثُمَّ إذَا كَانَ لِلْوَلَدِ الصَّغِيرِ أَوْ الْمَجْنُونِ مَالٌ فَإِنَّ الْأَبَ أَوْ وَصِيُّهُ أَوْ جَدُّهُمَا أَوْ وَصِيُّهُ يُخْرِجُ صَدَقَةَ فِطْرِ أَنْفُسِهِمَا وَرَقِيقِهِمَا مِنْ مَالِهِمَا عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ – رَحِمَهُمَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – وَلَا يُؤَدِّي عَنْ الْجَنِينِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَعْرِفُ حَيَاتَهُ هَكَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ،

(الفتاوي الهندية، كتاب الزكاة، الباب الثالت في زكاة الذهب، الباب في صدقة الفطر، جلد ١، ص١٩٢)

 وَأَمَّا الْعَقْلُ وَالْبُلُوغُ فَلَيْسَا مِنْ شَرَائِطِ الْوُجُوبِ فِي قَوْلِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ، حَتَّى تَجِبَ عَلَى الصَّبِيِّ وَالْمَجْنُونِ إذَا كَانَ لَهُمَا مَالٌ وَيُخْرِجُهَا الْوَلِيُّ مِنْ مَالِهِمَا وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَزُفَرُ لَا تَجِبُ فَيَضْمَنُهَا الْأَبُ وَالْوَصِيُّ لَوْ أَدَّيَاهَا مِنْ مَالِهِمَا اهـ وَكَمَا تَجِبُ فِطْرَتُهُمَا تَجِبُ فِطْرَةُ رَقِيقِهِمَا مِنْ مَالِهِمَا كَمَا فِي الْهِنْدِيَّةِ وَالْبَحْرِ عَنْ الظَّهِيرِيَّةِ (قَوْلُهُ: حَتَّى لَوْ لَمْ يُخْرِجْهَا وَلِيُّهُمَا) أَيْ مِنْ مَالِهِمَا(
فَفِي الْبَدَائِعِ أَنَّ الصَّبِيَّ الْغَنِيَّ إذَا لَمْ يُخْرِجْ وَلِيُّهُ عَنْهُ فَعَلَى أَصْلِ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَأَبِي يُوسُفَ أَنَّهُ يَلْزَمُهُ الْأَدَاءُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ بَعْدَ الْبُلُوغِ. اهـ.
قُلْت: فَلَوْ كَانَا فَقِيرَيْنِ لَمْ تَجِبْ عَلَيْهِمَا بَلْ عَلَى مَنْ يَمُونُهُمَا كَمَا يَأْتِي. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ لَمْ يُؤَدِّهَا عَنْهُمَا مِنْ مَالِهِ لَا يَلْزَمُهُمَا الْأَدَاءُ بَعْدَ الْبُلُوغِ وَالْإِفَاقَةِ لِعَدَمِ الْوُجُوبِ عَلَيْهِمَا

(رد المحتار، كتاب الزكاة، باب صدقة الفطر، جلد ٢، ص٣٦٠) 

5^th September 2018

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته 

Question: If a man pays mahr to his wife five years after the marriage, the Mahr being £1000, must she pay Zakāt on the previous years also?

الجواب حامداً ومصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

In reference to your above question, a woman who has been given her mahr (marriage dowry) of £1000 after five years since her marriage with him, is only required to pay Zakāt on it in the year she receives it once a complete lunar year passes on it. She is not liable to pay Zakāt on this in the previous years.[1]

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by:  Maulana Anas Mullah      Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

 JKN Fatawa Department

[1] وَأَمَّا سَائِرُ الدُّيُونِ الْمُقِرِّ بِهَا فَهِيَ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ مَرَاتِبَ عِنْدَ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – ضَعِيفٌ، وَهُوَ كُلُّ دَيْنٍ مَلَكَهُ بِغَيْرِ فِعْلِهِ لَا بَدَلًا عَنْ شَيْءٍ نَحْوُ الْمِيرَاثِ أَوْ بِفِعْلِهِ لَا بَدَلًا عَنْ شَيْءٍ كَالْوَصِيَّةِ أَوْ بِفِعْلِهِ بَدَلًا عَمَّا لَيْسَ بِمَالٍ كَالْمَهْرِ وَبَدَلِ الْخُلْعِ وَالصُّلْحِ عَنْ دَمِ الْعَمْدِ وَالدِّيَةِ وَبَدَلِ الْكِتَابَةِ لَا زَكَاةَ فِيهِ عِنْدَهُ حَتَّى يَقْبِضَ نِصَابًا وَيَحُولَ عَلَيْهِ الْحَوْلُ

(الفتاوي الهندية، كتاب الزكاة، الباب الأول في تفسير الزكاة، جلد ١، ص١٧٥)

(وَ) عِنْدَ قَبْضِ (مِائَتَيْنِ مَعَ حَوَلَانِ الْحَوْلِ بَعْدَهُ) أَيْ بَعْدَ الْقَبْضِ (مِنْ) دَيْنٍ ضَعِيفٍ وَهُوَ (بَدَلُ غَيْرِ مَالٍ) كَمَهْرٍ وَدِيَةٍ وَبَدَلِ كِتَابَةٍ وَخُلْعٍ، إلَّا إذَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُ مَا يُضَمُّ إلَى الدَّيْنِ الضَّعِيفِ

(رد المحتار، كتاب الزكاة، باب زكاة المال، جلد ٢، ص٣٠٦)

1^st September 2018

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته 

Question: If someone owns a few properties, must he pay Zakāt on their value or not?

الجواب حامداً ومصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Thank you for your above question. If a person owns multiple properties and does not intend to use them for business, then he is not be required to pay Zakāt on any of them. There is no productivity in the properties unless they are used for trading, which is conditional for Zakāt. Therefore paying Zakāt on them will not be necessary.[1]

[Allãh Knows Best]

Written by:  Maulana Anas Mullah       Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed

Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

 JKN Fatawa Department

[1] (ومنها فراغ المال ) عن حاجته الأصلية فليس في دور السكني وثياب البدن واثاث المنزل ودواب الركوب وعبيد الخدمة وسلاح الاستعمال زكاة.

(الفتاوي الهندية، كتاب الزكاة، الباب الأول في تفسير الزكاة، جلد ١ ، ص١٧٢)

وَلَوْ آجَرَ عَبْدَهُ أَوْ دَارِهِ بِنِصَابٍ إنْ لَمْ يَكُونَا لِلتِّجَارَةِ لَا تَجِبُ مَا لَمْ يَحُلْ الْحَوْلُ بَعْدَ الْقَبْضِ فِي قَوْلِهِ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لِلتِّجَارَةِ كَانَ حُكْمُهُ كَالْقَوِيِّ؛ لِأَنَّ أُجْرَةَ مَالِ التِّجَارَةِ كَثَمَنِ مَالِ التِّجَارَةِ فِي صَحِيحِ الرِّوَايَةِ اهـ.

(البحر الرائق ، كتاب الزكاة، باب شروط وجوب الزكاة، جلد ٢، ص٢٢٤)

21^st June 2017

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: Please can you help me in the following matter. A few years ago the government was giving vouchers which they used to open a child trust fund account for the child. Since then I have been putting in money to save each month. The account was with children mutual Shari’ah account and now as it has closed down and now been transferred to foresters financial Shari’ah account.  Is this allowed in Islam being in a Shari’ah account? If so then how do I calculate Zakāt on it?  Do I pay on the amount I put in over the years, or what its value is worth after they invest some funds keeping in mind that the value fluctuates all the time?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

Just to be clear here that the government has now replaced Child Trust Fund (CTF) with Junior Individual Savings Accounts (ISA), so the term CTF no longer exists. The Islamic ruling on Zakāt does not differ, however. This is more or less the same as forester’s financial Shari’ah account, in that it isn’t much different from the government scheme of trust funds or savings account. It is an investment scheme on the child’s savings starting with the initial voucher paid by the government towards the child. The service provider uses the child’s savings to invest in various other stocks and shares so to accrue profit on the original savings. Family and relatives have the option to contribute funds towards the child’s savings. By law, the child can only access his or her account at the age of 18 but until then, it is the parents or legal guardian who manages their account.[1]

From the Shar’ee point of view, the initial voucher paid by the government is considered an atiyyah (gift). The child who is the account holder is considered the mālik (owner) whilst the parents or guardian act as a mutawalli (guardians who merely manage the account) until the child reaches 18 years of age, after which the child now takes full control over the savings, presumably because he/she is now mature and intelligent enough to manage their own account.[2]

What is important is the stocks and shares in which the savings are invested must be Halāl. The information obtained from the Shari’ah savings accounts website suggests that the investment is Shari’ah compliant, therefore permissible.[3] In regards to calculating Zakāt then since the child is considered the mālik over the savings account, he or she is not obliged to pay Zakāt until they reach buloogh otherwise before that, Zakāt won’t be necessary.[4]

Another condition for the necessity of Zakāt is having possession over the Zakātable assets upon the elapsing of a complete lunar year. In your case however, as the savings belong to the child, they gain access to the savings at the age of 18 which by then they have already attained buloogh. They become responsible for paying Zakāt from the year they are given access to the funds provided it reaches to the nisab level. The ruling on paying Zakāt over the previous years however depends on the accessibility over the savings before the age of 18.  The fact that the child is choosing to invest his funds, it could be argued that there is some element of control although the child accesses the funds at a certain age. Hence, the child will be responsible to pay Zakāt over the previous years from the age of buloogh.

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] https://www.gov.uk/junior-individual-savings-accounts

https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/junior-isas

[2] Ahkāmul Qur’ān Jassas p. 359 vol 2

أنه لا يجوز له إمساك ماله بعد ما يَصِيرُ فِي حَدِّ الْكِبَرِ وَلَوْلَا ذَلِكَ لَمَا كان لذكر الكبر هاهنا مَعْنًى إذْ كَانَ الْوَالِي عَلَيْهِ هُوَ الْمُسْتَحِقُّ لِمَالِهِ قَبْلَ الْكِبَرِ وَبَعْدَهُ فَهَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ إذَا صَارَ فِي حَدِّ الْكِبَرِ اسْتَحَقَّ دَفْعَ الْمَالِ إلَيْهِ

Tafseer Qurtubi p. 37 vol 5

وَقَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ: لَا يُحْجَرُ عَلَى الْحُرِّ الْبَالِغِ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَبْلَغَ الرِّجَالِ، وَلَوْ كَانَ أَفْسَقَ النَّاسِ وَأَشَدَّهُمْ تَبْذِيرًا إِذَا كَانَ عَاقِلًا.

السَّادِسَةُ إِذَا ثَبَتَ هَذَا فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ دَفْعَ الْمَالِ يَكُونُ بِشَرْطَيْنِ: إِينَاسُ الرُّشْدِ وَالْبُلُوغُ، فَإِنْ وُجِدَ أَحَدُهُمَا دُونَ الْآخَرِ لَمْ يَجُزْ تَسْلِيمُ الْمَالِ، كَذَلِكَ نَصُّ الْآيَةِ. وَهُوَ رِوَايَةُ ابْنِ الْقَاسِمِ وَأَشْهَبَ وَابْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ فِي الْآيَةِ.

[3] http://www.islamicmortgages.co.uk/index.php?id=218

[4] Ibn Ābideen Shami, Kitāb Zakāt, vol 3, p. 173

(وَشَرْطُ افْتِرَاضِهَا عَقْلٌ وَبُلُوغٌ )

(قَوْلُهُ عَقْلٌ وَبُلُوغٌ) فَلَا تَجِبُ عَلَى مَجْنُونٍ وَصَبِيٍّ لِأَنَّهَا عِبَادَةٌ مَحْضَةٌ وَلَيْسَا مُخَاطَبَيْنِ بِهَا، وَإِيجَابُ النَّفَقَاتِ وَالْغَرَامَاتِ لِكَوْنِهَا مِنْ حُقُوقِ الْعِبَادِ وَالْعُشْرِ، وَصَدَقَةِ الْفِطْرِ لِأَنَّ فِيهِمَا مَعْنَى الْمُؤْنَةِ

1^st September 2015

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Question: Man is Mālik (owner) of gold on his parent’s side and a Wife is owner of gold on her parent’s side.

1. From 2009 to 2013, the monthly mortgage payment was £400 (25 year mortgage/house loan). After paying all expenses, £6000 remains in his savings in 2010. This does not increase during 2011,2012,2013. Gold on Man’s parents side is more than 7.5 tolas. Wife has gold more than 7.5 tolas on her parent’s side. What is the ruling of Zakāt on both the man and wife until 2013?
2. House was repossessed in 2014. The bank sold house at a cheaper price. Total outstanding balance was £17000. Bank is chasing for this. The man’s cash plus gold are no more than £ 17000. Do they still need to pay Zakāt?

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer

1: In reference to your query, with the exception of the monthly mortgage payment, Zakāt is obligatory on the £6000 savings and the 7.5 tola of gold because of each of them reaches the required Nisāb level. Zakāt for both cash and gold must be calculated separately and not combined. [1] As a note, the man and wife are individually responsible for paying Zakāt on their own Zakatable assets if they are considered the sole owners of it. The man is not liable for paying Zakāt on his wife’s behalf and vice-versa. Whoever is considered the owner of £6000 is responsible for paying Zakāt on it. Any previous years of outstanding Zakāt on both articles should be calculated as well.

2: In this scenario, Zakāt will not be necessary as your debt now encompasses all your savings.[2]

[Allāh Knows Best]

Written by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed

Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam

JKN Fatawa Department

[1] Durrul Mukhtār wa Hashiyah Ibn Ābideen as-Shāmi, Kitāb Zakāt, Bāb Zakātil Māl, p. 234 vol 3

وَإِنْ تَعَدَّدَ النِّصَابُ تَجِبُ إجْمَاعًا أَيْ بِحَيْثُ يَبْلُغُ قَبْلَ الضَّمِّ مَالُ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ بِانْفِرَادِهِ نِصَابًا فَإِنَّهُ يَجِبُ حِينَئِذٍ عَلَى كُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا زَكَاةُ نِصَابِهِ

[2] Durrul Mukhtār wa Hashiyah Ibn Ābideen as-Shāmi, Kitāb Zakāt, p.180 vol3

(فَلَا زَكَاةَ عَلَى مُكَاتَبٍ) لِعَدَمِ الْمِلْكِ التَّامِّ…. (وَمَدْيُونٍ لِلْعَبْدِ بِقَدْرِ دَيْنِهِ) فَيُزَكِّي الزَّائِدُ إنْ بَلَغَ نِصَابًا

(قَوْلُهُ وَمَدْيُونٍ لِلْعَبْدِ) الْأَوْلَى وَمَدْيُونٍ بِدَيْنٍ يُطَالِبُهُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ لِيَشْمَلَ دَيْنَ الزَّكَاةِ وَالْخَرَاجِ لِأَنَّهُ لِلَّهِ – تَعَالَى – مَعَ أَنَّهُ يَمْنَعُ لِأَنَّ لَهُ مُطَالِبًا مِنْ جِهَةِ الْعِبَادِ كَمَا مَرَّ