10th February 2026
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
Question: I’m calculating years of missed Zakāt and am seeking clarity regarding disability benefits that were intended for me, but received and controlled by my father, as I did not have a bank account during childhood. I was born with a disability and received government disability benefits. From birth to age 16, I was awarded Disability Living Allowance (DLA). According to the UK government website, DLA is intended for the disabled child, but the parent must apply on the child’s behalf, so my father applied for it. Although intended for me, the payments were made into my father’s bank account as I of course didn’t have a bank account then. So he received all of these funds and had full control of it. I never accessed or received this money directly. My father still always provided for me whenever I needed some money. My question is, who is responsible for paying Zakāt on the money from DVL? Is it me or my father?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer
Regarding your question, the individual who has complete authority over spending the money is considered its owner, making them responsible for paying Zakāt. To explain further, one must have full ownership of Zakātable wealth in order to be required to pay Zakāt. Ownership involves having actual possession as well as control over transactions and their benefits. Based on your description, it seems the funds were deposited into your father’s account and managed all the spending. As such, your father, not you, is responsible for paying Zakāt on that amount.[1]
[Allãh Knows Best]
Written and researched by (Mufti) Abdul Waheed
Answer Attested by Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Mawsuah fiqhiyyah Kuwaytiyyah vol 39, p. 31 – 33
الْمِلْكُ لُغَةً – بِفَتْحِ الْمِيمِ وَكَسْرِهَا وَضَمِّهَا -: هُوَ احْتِوَاءُ الشَّيْءِ وَالْقُدْرَةُ عَلَى الاِسْتِبْدَادِ بِهِ وَالتَّصَرُّفُ بِانْفِرَادِ .
وَفِي الاِصْطِلاَحِ: يُعَبِّرُ الْفُقَهَاءُ الْمُحْدَثُونَ بِلَفْظِ الْمِلْكِيَّةِ عَنِ الْمِلْكِ، لَكِنَّ الْفُقَهَاءَ قَبْلَهُمْ يُعَبِّرُونَ بِلَفْظِ الْمِلْكِ.
وَقَدْ عَرَّفَ الْقَرَافِيُّ الْمِلْكَ – بِاعْتِبَارِهِ حُكْمًا شَرْعِيًّا – فَقَال: الْمِلْكُ حُكْمٌ شَرْعِيٌّ مُقَدَّرٌ فِي الْعَيْنِ أَوِ الْمَنْفَعَةِ، يَقْتَضِي تَمَكُّنَ مَنْ يُضَافُ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ انْتِفَاعِهِ بِالْمَمْلُوكِ وَالْعِوَضِ عَنْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ هُوَ كَذَلِكَ . …..وَقَال ابْنُ الشَّاطِ: الْمِلْكُ هُوَ تَمَكُّنُ الإِْنْسَانِ شَرْعًا بِنَفْسِهِ أَوْ بِنِيَابَةِ مِنَ الاِنْتِفَاعِ بِالْعَيْنِ أَوْ بِالْمَنْفَعَةِ وَمِنْ أَخْذِ الْعِوَضِ، أَوْ تَمَكُّنِهِ مِنَ الاِنْتِفَاعِ خَاصَّةً…….
وَالْمِلْكُ التَّامُّ: هُوَ مِلْكُ الرَّقَبَةِ وَالْمَنْفَعَةِ، وَالْمِلْكُ النَّاقِصُ: هُوَ مِلْكُ الرَّقَبَةِ فَقَطْ، أَوِ الْمَنْفَعَةِ فَقَطْ، أَوِ الاِنْتِفَاعِ فَقَطْ.
يَقُول الزَّرْكَشِيُّ: الْمِلْكُ قِسْمَانِ: تَامٌّ وَضَعِيفٌ، فَالتَّامُّ يَسْتَتْبِعُ جَمِيعَ التَّصَرُّفَاتِ، وَالضَّعِيفُ بِخِلاَفِهِ، ثُمَّ اسْتُعْمِل مُصْطَلَحُ النَّاقِصِ أَيْضًا
Kasān, Badā’i Sanāi, Kitāb Zakāt, vol 2 p. 9-10
وَمِنْهَا الْمِلْكُ الْمُطْلَقُ وَهُوَ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَمْلُوكًا لَهُ رَقَبَةً وَيَدًا وَهَذَا قَوْلُ أَصْحَابِنَا الثَّلَاثَةِ
Ibn Humām, Fathul Qadeer, Kitāb al-Buyu’, vol 6 p. 248
فَالْمِلْكُ هُوَ قُدْرَةٌ يُثْبِتُهَا الشَّارِعُ ابْتِدَاءً عَلَى التَّصَرُّفِ فَخَرَجَ نَحْوُ الْوَكِيلِ
Shaykh Khalid Sayfullah Rahmani, Qamus al-Fiqh, vol 5, pp. 139-141, Mufti Amim Ihsan, Maj’mu at lil Qawaid al-Fiqhiyyah, p. 296