Zakaat

Khairaat and Sadaqa

Q:

1) I would like to know the difference between khairaat and sadaqa and to whom and when we can give these?

2) I have my pay around 440 USD, in which I send amount to my family. Do I have to give zakat on this?

3) For job purpose, I am living in another city of Pakistan. How can I serve my parents, as Islam says that we have to make "KHIDMAT" for our parents?

The mother of a zakaatable family inheriting a large some of money

Q: A family was eligible for zakaat. The mother in this family just inherited a fairly large sum of money from a deceased relative. However, she says that she wants to keep this sum of money for herself and does not want to spend it on her family. Are the father and the children in this family still eligible to receive zakaat?

Assisting beggars

Q: I give money to charity monthly to Muslim aid. However I never give money to beggars. I just feel they should beg from Allah not men. I also think they may buy alcohol. Another time a chubby person begged money from me, clearly that person didn't need money. I still feel guilty for not giving them money. Should I give them money or is that encouraging them to beg from people rather than the most richest, Allah.

Assisting a prisoner with zakaat money

Q: Can zakaat be given to a Muslim to release him from prison who has been in prison for last fifteen years. The person in prison is punctual about his prayers and believes that he is innocent and must be released from prison so he can look after his kids and wife. He also suspect that he may be hung for capital punishment if he is not proved innocent. We don't know if zakaat can be spent on such a person, so he can be released from prison and we do not know whether he is a culprit or not?

Can a person who possess a cellphone or a car receive zakaat

Q: I heard from an Aalim that if a person has a fancy touch screen cellphone, then he cannot be given zakaat.

1) If a person has a cellphone worth R3000k and jewellery worth 3000 and 1000 cash, does zakaat now become wajib on him / can he receive zakaat?

2) If a person has a car worth R500 000, has jewellery worth R10 000, cash R10000 but is in debts for R20 000. So his balance is 0 excluding the expensive car. Can he recieve zakaat? Even though he has such an expensive car?

Government allowance

Q: I live in the UK with one kid. My kid's dad lives in another country. Because I am a single mum and have no job, I receive some benefits from the government. I use that money for my and my kids's expenses. I don't work so I don't have anywhere alse to get my zakaat money from. Now my question is can I pay my zakaat from that money (which I receive from the government). Also I sometimes give sadaqa from that money. Is my sadaqa valid? Will Allah accept that sadaqah? The other thing I would like to know is how much money do I need to give in zakaat for gold, and cash?