• Prayers & Duties >> Zakat & Charity

    Question ID: 46951Country: India

    Title: zakat money from relatives

    Question: Since many years 2 or 3 of our immediate relatives abroad use to send their zakah amount to my father to distribute it to the needy here in Mumbai/India and since last 2 years my father expired and that responsibility has come to me, and I distribute the amount to the needy ones and at times if their amount is finished and there is more immediate cases of needy people we inform them and they sent us whatever they can. Till last year I have paid my zakah and this year I am under huge debt for which I have forwarded the query to you and as it seems if I am not liable to pay zakah then can I use the required zakah money I get from above relatives every year for myself without informing them about my condition till the time I get in better position. If yes then up to how much amount as this year I am under debt of 12.6 lakhs. Kindly revert as soon as possible.

    Answer ID: 46951

    Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

    (Fatwa: 1123/869/D=10/1434) If people send you zakah money to distribute among poor and needy ones then you act as a wakil on their behalf for distributing the money to others. You cannot keep the amount yourself. Yes, if they mention that you too may keep it then it is lawful.

    Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) knows Best

    Darul Ifta,

    Darul Uloom Deoband, India