Zakaat

Spending money on the poor

Q: I want to know about urdu word "nazar e muyyan", people sacrifice animals if they are ill, or calamity stricken and want to get out of difficulties.

Note: This is done without any commitment. There is another type of commitment that if I succeed I will spend such and such on the poor. I am asking about the 1st type. Does it have any relavance. If that is true, can I spend money because I cannot sacrifice an animal because of living in a foreign place?   

Giving zakaat to one's maid

Q: A maid recently started coming to our house. Apparently she seems needy. I have asked her about her possessions and she says that she doesn't have any gold/silver and neither do they have any saving. Can I give her zakat? I can not go and investigate myself, will it be sufficient to rely on what she says?

Paying off one's brother's debts with zakaat money

Q: If there are 2 siblings, one is fairly well off and the other is struggling financially. The “wealthier” one would like to discharge his zakaah.

The question is, can it be given to the struggling sibling, to settle debts. It would pay the credit card debts off and the card would then be cancelled.

Also, debts from medical bills that arose from the birth of their last child, which is with debt collectors. They pay small amounts, but with the interest so it does not do much and the amounts keep increasing. It would only be used for debt payments and no other purpose. Please advise.

Receiving zakaat if one does not have zakaat nisaab

Q: A person has two out buildings on his property which he rents out. One is attached to the house which he is living in, he is also earning a salary. His total monthly income is more than double the zakaat nisaab amount. However, by the middle of the month, he doesn’t have any money left. He also owes his wife and some relatives some money. Is it permissible for such a person to accept Zakaat?

Paying zakaat monthly

Q: For better distribution and reaching to deserving people, is it allowed if one delays payment or distribution of (zakat, charity and other due payment) not on the spot but regularly (monthly) to needy people. He will finish all due payments before the end of the Islamic year. If it is allowed and the person passes away during the year, will he be sinful.