Zakat is an essential form of giving in Islam because it makes up one of the Five Pillars. It’s a compulsory act of giving for all eligible Muslims to purify their wealth and redistribute it to help those in desperate need. This charity should be paid every year once a Muslim has held their wealth for a full lunar year. All able, adult Muslims who possess wealth that meets or exceeds the Nisab threshold must give Zakat to a reputable charity, like Muslim Aid, to share their blessings with those who are facing extreme hardship and poverty. This cleanses their wealth and supports the needy by helping to create economic balance within the community, providing a vital lifeline for those struggling to survive. Zakat takes a portion of a Muslim’s wealth that exceeds the Nisab, 2.5%, and gives it to those struggling. This takes into account various assets, like cash, savings and second properties, as well as the more common gold and silver assets. These need to be calculated into an up-to-date monetary value when Zakat is due.
Even though typically Zakat is given to a charitable organisation to help those in desperate need around the world, many believers wonder, “Can you give Zakat to family members?”. This can be a confusing topic due to the Islamic regulations around Zakat, and many Muslims want to share their wealth with their family members who are struggling. We’ve created this guide to help you understand if Zakat can be given to family and the Islamic regulations around giving Zakat to family members.
To understand if you can give Zakat to family members, you need to know the Islamic regulations for who can pay and who can receive this type of charity. This helps to ensure you fulfil your obligation correctly and give it to those who need it most.
There are set regulations that determine who must pay Zakat every year. These state that a believer should be:
There are also regulations that outline who can receive Zakat payments to distribute wealth to those who are in need. These are:
When it comes to the popular question of, “Can I give Zakat to family members?”, it isn’t a straightforward, simple yes or no answer. It all depends on who the family member is to you and their situation. Certain family members can receive Zakat if they meet the Islamic regulations that determine who gets the donations to help improve their lives. Distinguishing the family members who can receive your Zakat depends on the school of thought you follow. Many scholars agree that close family members, like parents, spouses and children, cannot be given Zakat as you’re already responsible for taking care of these family members. Other family members, like uncles, aunties, siblings and other distant relatives may receive Zakat depending on their circumstances and if your school of thought deems it permissible.
So, can we give Zakat to family members? It all depends on certain factors, whether Zakat can go to family or not. These factors align with the Islamic regulations on who can receive Zakat and take into account different schools of thought to help you understand who you can give this donation to.
A huge factor in whether your Zakat can go to a family member is how close you are to that person. Giving Zakat to family members is typically permissible if your relationship is quite distant and if they meet the requirements to receive Zakat. This means that family members who you aren’t legally responsible for, according to Islam, can possibly receive your donation. These people must not be so close to you that you look after them financially and need to meet the Islamic requirements to be able to receive your donation. If they are a family member you can donate to, it’s important to calculate your Zakat correctly before giving it so that it counts.
If the family member is close to you and you’re responsible to look after them, then you can’t give your Zakat to them. This is due to the closeness of your relationship and the possibility of your donation being used to benefit you directly or indirectly. For close family members, giving Zakat to them is like paying it to yourself because you’re exempting yourself from your responsibility to look after them. Close family members are often determined as spouses, children and parents, with some scholars adding grandparents and grandchildren into this category of family who cannot receive your Zakat.
Another factor that determines if Zakat can be given to a family member is their dependence on you. This is why spouses, parents and children cannot receive your Zakat as they’re dependent on you, and it is an Islamic responsibility to take care of them.
As well as these dependents, different scholars have various opinions on paying Zakat to family members like siblings, uncles, aunties and other relatives. It all comes down to whether they’re dependent on you and if you have financial responsibility for them. Due to this, you need to determine whether the family member you want to give Zakat to lives with you, is a financial dependent and if Islam legally binds you to support them financially.
To know if you’re legally responsible for the family member depends on the school of thought you follow. The Hanbali school determine that you’re legally responsible to support anyone who can inherit from you. This means that you can give Zakat to relatives even if you have financial responsibility for them, apart from the close relatives who live with you and who you’re responsible for, like children, parents and spouses.
Shafi’i includes grandparents and grandchildren as close family members whom you cannot give Zakat to because you’re financially responsible for them. Malik states that you’re financially responsible for your sons until they reach puberty, daughters until they marry, parents and a man’s wife. This means that these people cannot receive your Zakat unless a son or daughter meets the requirements after you’re no longer financially responsible for them.
Most of these schools don’t prevent sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and other distant relatives from receiving your Zakat, which means that if they need it and meet the requirements, they can receive Zakat from you.
For the family members who can receive your Zakat, they must be in need of it. These family members can be aunts, uncles and siblings, as well as other family members that you aren’t responsible for.
Giving Zakat to family members, no matter who they are, all depends on whether they’re eligible to receive it. They must meet the Islamic regulations for your Zakat to be valid, otherwise they cannot have it.
When it comes to giving Zakat to close family members, you cannot give your donation to close family (spouses, children and parents). Instead, if you want to give it to someone related to you, they must be distant enough that you have no responsibility for them. According to every school of thought, there are certain family members who fit into the distant category that you can give your donation to. These are:
These family members can receive your Zakat as long as they fit into the Islamic regulations for who can receive the donation.
Yes, you can give Zakat to poor family members as long as they aren’t deemed as close relatives that you’re responsible for by your school of thought. They must also meet the requirements to receive the Zakat if they’re a relative for whom you aren’t financially responsible. So, if they’re a sibling or extended family and they have little to no income, you can donate your Zakat directly to them and it’ll be valid.
Although giving Zakat to family members can be done in certain circumstances, it’s best to check with your local mosque before donating this charity to them. This ensures that you carry out your duty correctly and your Zakat is valid. If you cannot give to your family members, due to them being too close or not meeting the requirements, you can make a donation to Muslim Aid to help those most in need.
Our team distributes your Zakat quickly and with complete transparency, so you know how your wealth has helped others. We work in areas facing extreme poverty and despair to give those with barely anything the necessities they need to survive. Your Zakat can make a meaningful difference to those who cannot feed themselves and those facing unimaginable hardship every single day. Donate Zakat to save lives and bring hope for a better future to those struggling around the world.
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