Recipients of Zakaat

Q: If one is totally in debt. What is the stance with regard to Zakaat?

Q: A certain madrasah utilises lillah and zakaat to run its affairs. The zakaat is used to pay the fees of the students of the madrasah and therefore becomes madrasah money. Also the madrasah is under and organisation/board that oversees the running of the madrasah. This organisation/board pays the fees of the ustaads of said madrasah. Besides the activities that are directly involved with running the madrasah, eg: feeding the students, transporting the students to and from the madrasah, lights, water, etc, will it be permissible to use the funds in other avenues which are not directly involved with the taleem and running of the madrasah? Can the madrasah funds be used to buy plane tickets for the ustaads to attend jors in cape town?can the funds be used to book in to hotel rooms if the ustaads are going to teach in a town that is 2 hours away from the madrasah? s it permissible to use the funds in other similar activities as mentioned above? Please explain in detail which avenues will it be permissible to use the funds and what will be the procedure to follow before these funds can be used?

Q:  I have a sister who has separated from her husband in the UK. She has 2 daughters under the age of 4 and is living with parents at the moment until she can get a council place.  Can i give her my zakaat as she is not working and chances of her returning to her husband is unlikely?

Q: Can zakaat and sadaqatul fitr be given to minors who do not possess the zakaat nisaab?

Q: A person is living in a condition where he is need of zakaat, however he is an heir to his father’s inheritance, which for years has not distributed and neither is it known when will it be distributed due to procedures and complications, etc. Can zakaat be given to him now due to his present state and condition?

Q: I have two uncles in my home country Bangladesh. One of them has a small business, but cannot make any profit, he does not own significant amount of gold jewellery. Is he eligible for zakaat? My other uncle cultivates the land and gets monly helps from other relatives. He does not have significant jewellery. Can he also be eligible for zakaat?

Q: Can my husband give towards my family (his in laws) his zakaat?

Q: My sickly parents are elderly and my father’s salary does not cover household expenses. My sister requires aid in her studies. She is a full time student and can zakaat money be given to her for her studies and do I have to tell her that it is Zakaat?

Q: What are the requirements for a widow to be eligible for zakaat if she has no income of her own but does have jewellery.

Q: Can zakaat be used to pay maintenance for a child born out of wedlock with a non muslim mother? The child does not live with the father who is married himself with children.