Zakaat

Q: I am a 70 year old retired person and have no means of income besides some investments in Islamic bonds. I pay Zakat Alhamdollilah every year to deserving persons. My 100 year old mother fell seriously sick and had a Paralysis stroke and presently is in Coma stage. She is attended by two female nurses [12 hours duty each] and one Physiotherapist at my home besides her prescribed medications. I am aware that I am not allowed to give Zakat money to Parents. However, cost incurred by me on her treatment and Nursing / Physiotherapy is beyond my reach as I have a very limited pension type income. Can I pay her treatment, Nursing and Physiotherapy expenses from my Zakat fund?

Q: If we pay zakaat for 108 grams gold one year, next year we minus 2.5 grams from that gold or not? I mean we pay 105.5 grams zakaat next year or pay for the same 108 grams?

Q: I am very concerned regarding zakaat. I got married last year and my husband is not well settled yet. He is completing his education and spending all his money on his family as being the eldest. With my job I support him and I feel happy for that. My question is he has taken a lot of loans from many people for establishing his business. Can I offer my zakaat to him so he can undo his loans and become a little easy, as he cannot save a single coin from his salary and I've to take out Rs 30k annually. I'm only worried about his loans. Other household expense I can share, but for loans can I give him zakaat?

Q: Is it compulsory for one to discharge all one’s zakaat before the following year's zakaat becomes compulsory?

Q: Can zakaat be given to a Madrasah (the place where kids learn Qur'an)?

Q: Can zakaat be given to an orphan shelter centre?

Q: Can zakaat be given to a child to cover her education expenses?

Q:

1) Is it permissible for a person to change his zakaat date to an earlier date due to him e.g. being out the country on a yearly basis at the same time he was supposed to pay zakaat?

2) If someone doesn't know what exact date he became baaligh on, how should he set the date for payment of his zakaat?

Q: Does one need to pay zakaat on land purchased abroad in 2008 with the intention of selling in the future? Currently the land is vacant as the prices for land have reduced greatly and demand is very low and the land wont be sold until another 4/5 years at least. If so, how does one calculate?

Q: I have put a box in my cupboard in which I put the sadaqa amount and when a considerable amount gets together, I give them in charity. I have told my friends about it and they also sometimes contribute in it. The method I adopt regarding charity is that I visit a near by area where mostly poor people live. Then I search for those who are apparently religious as well as needy. The standard of needy that I look at is that one who is apparently really suffering to make both ends meet though he has a fruit stall or an animal like donkey for picking loads for people and carrying them elsewhere. I know that there must be much more needy ones but with this methodology, is my sadqa discharged properly because I think that giving to charity organization may be better but doing so one does not get the real feeling of the poor which one gets by searching them. So I prefer this method.