Zakaat to relatives

Nasihah (Advice): Giving charity to ones relatives

Sayyiduna Salmaan Ibn Aamir Radhiyallahu Anhu reports that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “Giving charity to a poor person is charity, and (giving) to a relative is two things, charity and upholding the ties of kinship.” (Nasaai)

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Question and Answer:

1. Is it permissible to give Zakaat to ones father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-laws, daughter-in-laws? Can one give Zakaat to ones brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts?

1. It is permissible to give Zakaat to ones In-laws i.e. father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law’s, daughter-in-law’s and so on. It is also permissible to give Zakaat to ones brothers, sisters, uncles and aunts. In fact, ones close family relatives should be given preference over others in discharging Zakaat.
2. Zakaat cannot be given to ascendants(eg.parents,grandparents), descendants (eg.children,grandchildren) and spouse.

This is on condition that the above people are eligible recipients of Zakaat.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai