9th September 2020
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: Can the husband pay Zakāt on his wife’s behalf without her knowledge?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
In reference to your query, a husband is allowed to pay Zakāt on behalf of his wife but only if she is aware that her husband will pay it for her. If he paid it without her knowledge of it nor she consented to it then it will not be fulfilled. She may consent to it either explicitly or implicitly for instance, if she is aware that her husband pays for her Zakāt every year during a particular month of the year then it is permissible.[1]
This being said, it is ideal for the husband to still notify her though so that she is aware of her obligation being fulfilled and so that she can make intention of her Zakāt being paid from the money that her husband has given. It must be noted that after paying it on her behalf, if he demands to be reimbursed then he can do so.
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by: Maulana Anas Mullah Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed
Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Raddul Muhtar, Kitaab uz Zakaat, vol 2, p 268
ثُمَّ قَالَ فِي التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة أَوْ وُجِدَتْ دَلَالَةُ الْإِذْنِ بِالْخَلْطِ كَمَا جَرَتْ الْعَادَةُ بِالْإِذْنِ مِنْ أَرْبَابِ الْحِنْطَةِ بِخَلْطِ ثَمَنِ الْغَلَّاتِ؛ وَكَذَلِكَ الْمُتَوَلِّي إذَا كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ أُوقِيَّاتٌ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ وَخَلَطَ غَلَّاتِهَا ضَمِنَ وَكَذَلِكَ السِّمْسَارُ إذَا خَلَطَ الْأَثْمَانَ أَوْ الْبَيَّاعُ إذَا خَلَطَ الْأَمْتِعَةَ يَضْمَنُ. اهـ. قَالَ فِي التَّجْنِيسِ: وَلَا عُرْفَ فِي حَقِّ السَّمَاسِرَةِ وَالْبَيَّاعِينَ بِخَلْطِ ثَمَنِ الْغَلَّاتِ وَالْأَمْتِعَةِ اهـ وَيَتَّصِلُ بِهَذَا الْعَالِمُ إذَا سَأَلَ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ شَيْئًا وَخَلَطَ يَضْمَنُ.
قُلْت: وَمُقْتَضَاهُ أَنَّهُ لَوْ وُجِدَ الْعُرْفُ فَلَا ضَمَانَ لِوُجُودِ الْإِذْنِ حِينَئِذٍ دَلَالَةً. وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ عِلْمِ الْمَالِكِ بِهَذَا الْعُرْفِ لِيَكُونَ إذْنًا مِنْهُ دَلَالَةً
Ibn Nujaym, Al bahr al Raaiq, Ktaab uz Zakaat, vol 2, p 226-227
وَلَوْ أَدَّى زَكَاةَ غَيْرِهِ بِغَيْرِ أَمْرِهِ فَبَلَغَهُ فَأَجَازَ لَمْ يَجُزْ؛ لِأَنَّهَا وَجَدَتْ نَفَاذًا عَلَى الْمُتَصَدِّقِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا مِلْكُهُ، وَلَمْ يَصِرْ نَائِبًا عَنْ غَيْرِهِ فَنَفَذَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَلَوْ تَصَدَّقَ عَنْهُ بِأَمْرِهِ جَازَ وَيَرْجِعُ بِمَا دَفَعَ عِنْدَ أَبِي يُوسُفَ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَشْتَرِطْ الرُّجُوعَ كَالْأَمْرِ بِقَضَاءِ الدَّيْنِ وَعِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ لَا رُجُوعَ لَهُ إلَّا بِالشَّرْطِ، وَتَمَامُهُ فِي الْخَانِيَّةِ