All praise is due to Allāh:

Firstly, there is a general rule that Zakāh should not be given to those who are entitled to receive financial support from the one giving Zakāh, either by Islamic law or by legal obligation. Therefore, parents, children who are eligible for financial support due to their young age or inability to earn are excluded from Zakāh funds. Ibn al-Mundhir said: “The scholars unanimously agree that it is obligatory for a person to provide for his poor parents who have no wealth or income. A person is also entitled to provide for his children who have no wealth.”

Similarly, siblings who are dependent on their older brother, and the wife (by consensus) and the husband (according to the opinion of Abī Ḥanīfah and some jurists) are entitled to financial support.

The grandparents, regardless of their level of relationship, and the grandson, regardless of level of relationship, are entitled to financial support due to the verse: “The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother’s food and clothing on a reasonable basis.” [Al-Baqarah 2:233].

There is a general rule that Zakāh cannot be distributed among the heirs.

Secondly, it is recommended to give Zakāh to needy, poor, or indebted relatives, and they should be given priority for maintaining family ties. The Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) said: “Giving charity to a poor person is charity, and (giving) to a relative is two things, charity and upholding the ties of kinship.” [Narrated by At-Tirmidhiy and An-Nasāʼiy].

Thirdly, there is a distinction between the destitute and the needy. The destitute has no wealth, no home, and no source of income, while the needy has some wealth, whether it is income or property, but it is not sufficient to meet their needs according to societal norms. The societal norms include food, drink, medical treatment, and housing. It is not a requirement for a Zakāh recipient to be without a home or a car that they use for work, nor is it required to ask them to sell their tools of trade, their bedding, or their study books in order to be eligible for Zakāh. However, their situation should be assessed in comparison with others who are in a similar situation. People’s housing situations vary according to their social status and positions.

Therefore, owning a house or a car in itself does not prevent someone from receiving Zakāh. Rather, the decision depends on the specific circumstances and the needs of the recipient in comparison with others.

After all, Allāh knows best.

Fatwa issued by Dr. Khālid Naṣr