Fatwa No : 85661
Ruling on Receiving Zakat

Ruling on Receiving Zakat

What do the honorable Muftis say regarding the following matter: I, Babar Ali son of Huzoor Bakhsh, am the son of an Imam (prayer leader). I have two sons (Abdullah and Samiullah) and six daughters. I earn my livelihood by selling vegetables, and I am also responsible for managing a Madrasa for girls (Madrasatul Banat), for which I do not receive any salary or payment. My youngest daughter, Maryam Bibi, is suffering from a severe illness. According to the doctors, we took her to Jinnah Hospital, where they informed us that tuberculosis germs had affected her brain, due to which a brain operation was carried out, and now a TB neuro machine has been implanted in her brain. I do not own any property or assets. My father has five daughters, and I am his only son. At present, I am under a debt of Rs. 480,000.
The matter to be inquired is: Am I eligible to receive Zakat, or not? I am not a Sayyid, and whatever I had, I have already spent during the last one year and four months on my daughter’s treatment.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

If, after repaying the mentioned debt, the questioner Babar Ali truly does not possess wealth equal to 7.5 tolas of gold, or 52.5 tolas of silver, or cash, trade goods, or any other assets exceeding his basic needs equal in value to that amount — and as stated in the question, he is not a Sayyid — then in such a situation, the questioner qualifies as a rightful recipient of Zakat. Therefore, it is permissible and valid for him to receive Zakat funds, and the Zakat given to him will also be duly discharged on behalf of the giver.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما في الفتاوى الهندية:فهي تمليك المال من فقير مسلم غير هاشمي، ولا مولاه بشرط قطع المنفعة عن المملك من كل وجه لله - تعالى -(1/ 170)۔
وفی الدر المختار: أي مصرف الزكاة (الی قولہ) (هو فقير، وهو من له أدنى شيء) أي دون نصاب أو قدر نصاب غير نام مستغرق في الحاجة الخ (باب المصرف،ج 2، ص 339، ط: سعید)۔