Recipients of Zakaat

Q: How will I know which person is eligible for zakaat? Suppose I know a person who has a home and is able to fullfil only his food needs and has very less money, is he eligible for zakaat?

Q: Can I zakaat give to a person who needs help for his business. He is poor but he can fullfil his daily food and clothing needs. He has a home also in the village but he can not do business due to money, so that his financial condition can improve. If we can help him, Insha Allah his condition will get better. Please guide me.

Q: Please can you advise as to how much investigation should a person do on the person that he/she intends to give their zakaat to?

Q: My question has two part which are as follows:

1. Can we give our zakaat money to our brother who is not living with me nor with family, he is living alone and by his own living cost?

2. Our father and mother passed away last year. We seven brothers have contributed money for (Mom/Dad) their Tadfeen and Takfeen and I have paid 600 USD on behalf of my brother (lending) who is needy, so this year my zakaat money is 470 USD and can I count and cut this zakaat money from the 600 USD which I have paid on his behalf?

Q:

1. How will one know if a person is eligible for zakaat?

2. What happens if you give your zakaat to someone you thought was eligible but found out later that the person was not?

Q: At our school we want to ensure that all zakaats collected on behalf of Zakaat eligible learners is carried out according to Shariah. Could you please provide guidelines for accepting zakaat and using the same for payment of school fees. We also require guidance with formulating a formal appointment letter to collect zakaat for learners eligible to receive zakaat.

Q: A father who is not allowed to accept zakaah (due to his lineage) but due to him being unemployed and barely getting by he accepted some zakaah hampers and money. Is the hampers that he accepted halaal upon his children?

Q: To which persons are we allowed to give zakaat to. How much money does the person need to have so that he is able to accept zakaat?

Q: Could interest and zakaat money be used to pay electricity account. We are poor and unable to pay our bills so we want to ask a bisinessman for intertest or zakaat.

Q: My sister and the former husband abandoned three kids and are now cared for by my parents. They have grown and are on the brink of their teenage years. My parents who have cared for them have now almost retired. I help where I can but is not always able to help fully. I have zakaah due to be paid in the coming month. My questions are:

1. Can I pay zakaah to my parents to cover for their (nieces and nephew) needs?

2. If so, can I give all my zakaah to them or only a portion.