Zakat: Scholar, expert say payers’ siblings can benefit

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

The Grand Mufti of Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO), Sheikh Dhikrullah Shafi’I and Chief Executive Officer of Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation, Dr Abdullahi Shuaib, yesterday said Zakat can be paid to one’s siblings.

Zakat is an obligatory charity which a Muslim with adequate means must pay once a year to the rightful beneficiaries.

The eight categories of people Allah mentioned in the Quran as beneficiaries were the poor, needy, zakat administrators, those whose hearts are inclined to Islam, those in bondage, debtors, in the cause of Allah and the wayfarers.

Sheikh Shafi’I said payers of Zakat can give it to their siblings who fall into any of those categories.

Such siblings, he said, must not be the people whose livelihoods are being catered for by the payers.

“If payers are directly involved in catering for the wellbeing of those siblings, they cannot benefit from the Zakat. If otherwise, they could. More so, paying Zakat to siblings will also foster family unity which Islam strongly recommends,” he said.

The revered scholar noted that the payers’ parents cannot be among the beneficiaries.

Dr Shuaib said “the payment to one’s siblings should be governed by certain conditions such that provided you are not obligated in Islam to provide for their living expenses; that your siblings fall under the eight Zakat beneficiaries as stipulated in Q9:60 and that the Zakat given to them is a one-off and not to be repeated annually. Otherwise, one should utilise the windows of Sadaqah (ordinary charity) and awqaf (ongoing charity – endowments) to support them frequently.”

Such siblings, he said, must have projects for the fund.

He added: “You can’t just say my brother is broke or out of job or poor and give him Zakat. No, it doesn’t work that way, such a person must have a business idea or use it to upgrade his/her business because the essence of Zakat is to empower people and banish poverty. However, it is important to state clearly that the Islamic schools of jurisprudence of Imam Hanbali, Maliki, Sha’fi and Abu Hanifah all posited that one can pay Zakat to one’s siblings. Even, Ibn Qudamah, also held the same view. Let me also add that Prophet Muhammad was reported to have said ‘Sadaqah to the needy is merely sadaqah, while it is both sadaqah and kindness to kin when given to relatives (That is, it is commendable twice in the sight of Allah.’ “Furthermore, Ibn Abbas also said ‘one should give Zakat to relatives in need.’ A renowned Qur’an commentator, Mujahid, said ‘One’s Zakat is not accepted if it is given to others when one has needy relatives’.”