Zakaat

Q: May I please ask your advice on two matters with regards to Zakaat.

a) My wives uncle recently had both his legs amputated. He is an elderly 78 year old man with two unmarried daughters (both working) and a son. He has a house. They are living from hand to mouth and come from the poor community. Am I allowed to use my zakaat funds to purchase needy medical equipment that he requires, like a hospital bed, a wheelchair etc?

b) In our community there is a lady who has also had both her legs amputated. She lives in a small backyard room. No income. Are we allowed to assist her in settling some monthly accounts like electricity, food, groceries etc with our zakaat funds?

Q: If a person buys a plot, will Zakaat be compulsory on it or not?

Q: Is there zakat on GP Fund which is a fund for government employees?

Q: Does one have to pay zakaat on sterling silver?

Q: In regards to discharging Zakaat, it has become very difficult now a days to find out who deserve to receive Zakaat. Please advise where else it can be discharged like muslim institutes, orphan centers etc?

Q: Can we give our zakaat money to our grand father or grand mother?

Q: I am currently employed working on commission earning a very decent salary. Due to to certain mismanagement of my salary I find myself in debt (3 times my salary) owing rent, Edgars etc. Is it permissible to accept zakaat money (once off) to help settle these debts.

Q:

1. Is it permissible to give my zakaah funds to my brother because he has lost his job and cannot make "ends meat"? (He does not have the zakaat nisaab).

2. If it is not permissible to give my brother, then , can I give it to his wife who also falls in the category of a zakaah recipient?

Q: If I give constant charity (10 times my zakaat amount) and pray to Allah to accept as my zakaat first then the rest as sadqa because He knows it all. I forget my zakat hisaab. Can I do that?

Q: If a person has a certain amount of cash only, has he to base his calculation for determining the nisaab based on existing rate of silver or gold? The reason is there is a vast difference in the market rate of a gram of silver and a gram of gold. Please advise. Jazakalkah.