Zakaat

Giving zakaat to people in debt

Q:

1. Can zakaat be given to a person who has debts?

2. There are people who live a better standard of living than me. They have better cars, better clothes, go on holidays, better household items, etc. than me but they have debts due to which they are below the nisab threshold. Can I give my zakaat to them?

Accepting zakaat if one is in debt

Q: I live in the UK for the last 14 years. I had a very difficult time till 2017. I did not have any reasonable job till 2010, then with Allah's blessings I started working as a taxi driver and paid off some of my debts. Allhamdulillah, now I have a decent job and a regular earning but I still owe a big amount (£75,000) to my family and friends which I am finding very hard to save to pay. We do have gold, just over the limit of zakat but not enough to pay off any significant amount of the money.

1. Do we need to pay zakat on the gold we have?

2. Can we get any financial help to pay off this amount we owe to family and friends? We don't owe banks much, apart from our mortgage as I have already paid off around £30,000.

3. Please guide me in this difficult situation.

Daughter accepting zakaat to pay her father's hospital bill

Q: We have a patient that is seriously ill and unconscious. The patient was taken to a government hospital. However, proper treatment was not provided. The people of the community want to help the patient by getting him admitted to a a private hospital where he will be given proper treatment. The hospital bill will be paid with zakaah. However the patient is unconscious and the daughter has jewellery worth R36000, will it be permissible for the daughter to accept the Zakaat on behalf of her unconscious father?

What is a Muslim’s duty towards beggars?

Q: What is a Muslim’s duty towards beggars?

Is it absolutely obligatory to always give them money irrespective whether they are Muslims or not and irrespective whether they are genuine or habitual. Most appear to have made begging a living.

We constantly get lots of beggars (both Muslims and non-Muslims, young and old) that regularly come round and expecting money. If a nominal amount of money is given, it is often refused and, if food or anything else is given, it is simply also refused or thrown away.

We also get many Muslim youngsters that appear healthy and able to work; yet come around begging. In this instance, can one refer them to the nearest Jamiat Office who will no doubt screen them and ascertain if they are actually genuine and do qualify for assistance? Kindly advise.

Spending sadaqa money on one's family

Q: Spending on ones family is sadaqa. Even we cant intent of sadaka before spending on family. I have a habit every morning where I keep away some money with the niyyah of sadaqa and at that very time, after taking out the sadaqa money, I also make dua to Allah to make my certain works done or certain affairs easy. My question is, can I spend that sadaqa money on my family?

Spending from one's personal wealth on the poor

Q: We are 3 brothers. My parents are our employed. We are in joint family. I am also employed and married and have 2 children. My other brothers are in a business and one of them is married. I am a kind hearted man and spend my money to look after the poor.

I want to know whether the money I earn is mine or my parents? Do I have a right to spend for the sake of Allah without my parents will? As they are self-employed.