Shaykh Ibn Baaz on Using Zakaat Money to Finish the Construction of a Masjid

In the Name of Allaah…

Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have Mercy on him) was asked about using zakaat money to finish building a masjid that is almost completed, and its construction may be halted (due to lack of funding). He replied:

What is well-known to the scholars, and it is the position of the vast majority of them, so it can be considered like ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus) of the scholars of the early As-Salaf As-Saalih, is that zakaat is not to be used for building masjids, buying books, or the likes. It may only be distributed to the eight kinds of recipients who are mentioned in the verse in Soorah At-Tawbah [v.60], and they are:

(1) The fuqaraa’ (those who are extremely poor),

(2) The masaakeen (the poor and needy),

(3) Those who work in distributing it (zakaat),

(4) Those whose hearts need firmness upon Islaam (new Muslims),

(5) Freeing slaves,

(6) Paying debts,

(7) In the way of Allaah, and

(8) The traveler who is in need.

And the phrase “in the way of Allaah” means jihaad specifically. This is what is known to the people of knowledge, and the building of masjids is not mentioned here, nor is the building of schools or roadways, nor their likes.

And Allaah is the One who grants success.

Source: Majmoo’ Fataawee wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwa’ah (14/294)

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

ST Archives – Originally Published 02-22-2008

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Citations of Scholarly Consensus About Zakaat Money Spent on General Charities

Citations of Scholarly Consensus Regarding Zakaat Spent on General Charities

In the Name of Allaah, the Ever-Compassionate, the Bestower of Mercy…

A number of scholars of the past, from different math-habs, lands, and time periods, have cited ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus) on the impermissibility of spending zakaat on general charities, like building masjids, roads, bridges, or buying a shroud for a dead person or paying his debts. They viewed that “fee sabeelillaah” (in the way of Allaah) in the verse of zakaat recipients (9:60) was specific to the Muslim army and its battles, and some added: Battles and Hajj.

The following citations from early scholars oppose the general broader understanding promoted by some later scholars and writers that “fee sabeelillaah” (in the way of Allaah) includes all types of charity and good deeds loved by Allaah:

1. Aboo ‘Ubayd al-Qaasim ibn Sallaam (d.224)

Regarding paying the debts of the deceased, buying shrouds for him, building masjids, or routing rivers, and similar things of a charitable nature, then Sufyaan (ath-Thawree), the scholars of Iraq, and others have all agreed that this does not fulfill the duty of zakaat, since these are not from its eight categories.

Source: His book, Kitaab al-Amwaal, 2/293.

2. Ibn Hazm (d.456)

There is no dispute (amongst the scholars) that Allaah did not intend (by “fee sabeelillaah”) every good and charitable kind of thing when distributing zakaat, thus Continue reading

Q&A: Giving Charity on Behalf of the Deceased [Permanent Committee]

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the All-Merciful…

QUESTION: Is charity given on behalf of the deceased something that benefits the deceased?

ANSWER: Yes, the deceased will benefit from the charity given by the living on his behalf, according to the consensus of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.

This is based on the hadeeth collected by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim from the narration of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), who said that a man came to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah!  My mother’s soul was taken (suddenly), and she had not bequested anything (as charity to be given from her wealth).  I believe that she would have done so if she had spoken (before her death).  Would she get any reward if I gave charity on her behalf?”

He replied, “Yes.”

Also, due to the hadeeth collected by al-Bukhaaree from the narration of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father), that Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah’s (may Allaah be pleased with him) mother died in his absence.  He later went to the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) and said, “O Messenger of Allaah! My mother has died while I was absent, so would she benefit if I gave charity on her behalf?”

He replied, “Yes.” 

He (Sa’d) said, “Then I take you as a witness that I give away my garden, al-Mikhraaf (the name of the garden), as charity on her behalf.”

These are among the authentic evidences about the deceased benefitting from giving charity on their behalf.

And through Allaah (alone) is success.  May Allaah raise the rank of our Prophet Muhammad and that of his family and companions, and grant them all peace.

Signed by:

  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdullaah ibn Qu’ood, Member
  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdur-Razzaaq ‘Afeefee, Vice-Chairman
  • [Shaykh] ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abdillaah ibn Baaz, Chairman

(May Allaah have Mercy on them.)

Source: The Permanent Committee’s Collection of Fatwaas (9/27-28)

Translated by: Moosaa Richardson

15 Reasons to Give out Your Own Zakaat al-Fitr Yourself (Part One)

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful…

The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) ordered that Muslims give out zakaat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadhan – one saa’ of staple food on behalf of yourself and each person you are responsible for. [1]

In light of the beautiful and complete religion of Islam and the amazing benefits we reap when implementing it properly, we would like to remind ourselves with the benefits of distributing this form of charity personally, from our own hands, without the use of a third party.

I offer this advice to my brothers and sisters in Islam due to widespread use of charity organizations and community services, and some of the harms that result, or at least the loss of some great benefits that we should not be so prepared to forfeit. Continue reading

Zakaat on Real Estate (Four Types)

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

The Permanent Committee for Research and Fatwaas, headed by Shaykh ‘Abdul-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have Mercy on him), was asked about a vacant lot of land purchased three years ago – Is there zakaat due upon it?

Their official published answer was as follows: Continue reading

Zakaat al-Fitr Measurements: One Saa’ = Three Litres, One Mudd = .75L

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful…

The Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) ordered that a fasting person give out Zakaat al-Fitr at the end of Ramadhan – one saa’ of staple food on behalf of yourself and each person you are responsible for. [1]

What is a Saa’?

A Prophetic saa’ ( صاع ) is not a weight measurement.  It was and still is a measurement of volume, similar to the size of a large salad bowl.  It is made up of four mudds, and a mudd ( مد ) is a smaller container, close to the size of a small salad bowl.

To be precise, a Prophetic mudd in modern volume measurements is .75L (or 750mL), which means Continue reading

Giving Charity in Silver Equal to the Weight of the Newborn’s Hair

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Baazmool (may Allaah preserve him) was asked: Our shaykh!  It has been reported that Faatimah – may Allaah be pleased with her – used to give charity (in silver) equal to the weight of her newborn’s hair after shaving it on the seventh day.  Is that a Sunnah she got from the Prophet – may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace – or was it her own preferred way of giving (optional) charity?  May Allaah reward you and bless your time and deeds.

He answered:

Yes, what seems correct is that it was a Sunnah she learned from the Messenger – may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace – to give the weight of the newborn’s (shaven) hair in silver.  Al-Albaanee alluded to this in al-Irwaa when he traced the sources Continue reading