Zakaat

Q: Can sadaqah be given to one's parents? 

Q: I became sahib-e-nisab on my nikah day 15 years back in the month of Rabi us Sani. I have been giving out zakat every year in Rabi us Sani since then. However I was calculating the amount on random dates of Rabi us Sani as I was unaware that there should be a fixed date too. From now on, which date should be fixed?

Q: My question is about nisaab of zakaat on cash only.

I do not have any thing like gold or silver but just some cash. Please tell me on how much cash will I be liable to pay zakat. Will the nisaab of gold apply as cash is an alternate to gold in banks? 

Q: Could Moulana please assist with the following regarding Islamic organizations collecting zakaat:

1. Are we (the committee) the wakeels of the donor or the recipient?

2. If we become the wakeels of the recipients, will the zakaat of the donors be discharged as soon as they hand over to any member of the committee?

3. In the case of na baaligh children who are a legible to receive zakaat, who is their wakeel/guardian? Can it be a member of the committee since these kids generally have non Muslim parents. (They attend madrasah in the locations but most of them are the only Muslims in their homes).

4. Any other advice or guidance will be much appreciated.

Q: I would just like to enquire the following; Currently I contribute zakaat, sadaqah or lillah money to certain organisations,

•If one receives a Section 18A certificate for the above donations & money is received back again from SARS; what can this money be used for:

-Does this money have to be given back to charity?

-Can this money be used to pay traffic fines?

-Can this money be used for any other personal use?

Q:

1. What is ruling on Zakat to giving needy close relatives, if others are more poor than that. To whom should be given, to needy close relatives or more needy other than relatives or Fuqra.

2. Should a person distribute his own Zakat or hand it over to an institution?

Q:

1. Is it ok to order a daig of rice with chicken and peas and give it as sadaqa?

2. Who deserves to eat this sadaqa?

Q: Many years ago, my maternal grandmother had kept an amount of gold jewellery in order to give it to me in my marriage. Later, my mother took it from her, telling her that she would keep it safely until the marriage. So the jewellery is with my mother.

Now, since I am unmarried, I have not received it yet. My question is: Who is responsible for the payment of zakah for that particular gold jewellery?

Q: Kindly advise with regard to the following:

Four siblings had sold a jointly owned asset and had given their father the money which was to have been invested by him in a property. However this did not happen for whatever reason and the money remained in the father's business. Over time it was even forgotten that this money has not been invested and has merely been left in the business. The father too had completely forgotten about this money that it is lying in the business. 14 years later one of the siblings passed away. It is now two years since his demise. He has a minor child and two adult children.

Nevertheless it has now been remembered that this money is lying in the business and was not invested. The deceased sibling's share (R95000) has not yet been distributed to his heirs. The father is in the process of returning the money to all the siblings and to the estate of the deceased.

It has been established that none of the the siblings, including the deceased, had included this amount in calculating their zakaat liability. The questions are:

1. Do the living siblings have to pay zakaat on this wealth that has now been returned to them? If yes, how will this be calculated?

2. Will zakaat be payable on the share of the deceased (R95 000) for the period until his demise? If yes, who is responsible to discharge this?

3. Are the heirs of the deceased liable for zakaat upon their respective shares for the past 2 years?

Q: I have a debt and some assets. However, my debt is more than my assets. Does the zakat still apply to me.