recipients of zakaat

Paying a persons hospital bill with zakaat money

Q: I use to pay zakat to a mustahiq (one worthy of accepting zakat). During Ramadan, he had a heart attack and was admitted to hospital. He could not pay the bill. Neighbours collected funds to pay the hospital on his behalf. I also contributed to that fund through my zakat money. On getting discharged from hospital, he thanked me for my contribution. Is my zakat paid this way?

Assisting one's brother with zakaat money

Q: My younger brother is jobless and has a wife and baby. I gave him money from my Zakaat so he can go to the Middle East to find work. It's been few months and he is still looking for a job and meeting his needs there by using zakaat money which I gave him. His wife is in her home country and needs some kind of financial support to meet her and the baby's needs. His wife has jewellery which is worth more than US$5,000. My question is that since my brother has no income to support her and his wife is a house wife, can I give Zakaat money to his wife so she can fulfill her needs along with baby's?

Giving zakaat to one's brother who is jobless

Q: My youger brother who is jobless and they have newborn baby. Currently, he has no income. Can we give him bulk of zakaat so he can fulfill the needs of his wife and baby? Few months ago we gave him zakaat for the amount equivalent to US$1000 which he deposited in his bank account. Can we give me more money from zakaat so he can manage the needs of his wife and baby?

Discharging zakaat to people who one thought were recipients of zakaat

Q: My aunt was widowed when my cousins were very young. We were told that they can accept zakaat. Years later I realised that my aunt did not have cash but did have all her gold jewellery. The house my uncle had was sold and the money invested to pay their rent. My aunty worked and earned and my grandparents and family helped where they could.

Is our zakaat that we had given discharged, as it seems that the daughters did have gold, saved money and are entitled to about R67 000 each. As family we were told that they had nothing.

If the zakaat is not discharged how would one go about discharging it?