Question: as-Salaam ‘Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahe wa Barakaatuhu. It will not be hidden from your Eminence what is happening to our brothers in the Muslim countries of the Caucaus, Chechnya in particular – from the war upon Islaam and the systematic extermination of Muslims, killing and displacement of the village-dewellers, the elderly, women and children – and that, by bombardment and artillery fire upon the towns, schools, hospitals and cities. Therefore what is the ruling on giving charities and zakaah to the Muslims there and helping them with body (physically) and wealth? Continue reading →

Question: I have a large number of household utensils [silverware and dining ware] for use on a daily basis as well as for regularly guests and some others for special occasions. I use these many utensils instead of borrowing them from others or renting them, as sometimes one gets dirty or old utensils that one cannot use in any social setting. I keep my utensils in a cabinet in my home. If my neighbors or relatives ask to borrow them, I give it to hem, trying to help them. During a sisters’ meeting, I heard one of the sisters say that a person is going to be held accountable for everything that he leaves behind, including household utensils. She said that we will be punished by them if we leave them behind and they will be heated and will brand us on the Day of Resurrection. Please assist me, may Allaah assist you. Should I give them away in charity and then borrow from the people for special occasions or should I keep them and pay Zakaah on them or is there no Zakaah on them or what should I do? Continue reading →

Question: Is it allowed for a person to give his Zakaah to his own mother?

Response: A Muslim may not give his Zakaah to his parents or to his children. But, in fact, it is obligatory upon him to spend on their behalf from his own wealth if they are in need of it and he has the ability to spend on their behalf.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

Question: Can a wife pay the Zakaah on her jewellery to husband given that he receives a salary of about 4,000 riyals is in debt 30,000 riyals?

Response: There is no harm in a woman paying the Zakaah of her jewellery or other Zakaah to her husband if he is poor or is in debt and he is not able to pay off the debt, according to the strongest of the opinions among the scholars. This opinion is based on the generality of the evidences, including Allaah’s statement, “Zakaah are only for the poor and the indigent…” (at-Towbah 60).

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

Question: Is it allowed for my husband to pay the Zakaah on my wealth on my behalf, given that he is the one who gave me the wealth? Is it allowable to give the Zakaah to my nephew, whose wife passed away and he is a young man who is thinking about getting married?

Response: Zakaah is obligatory upon your wealth, if you have the nisab or more of gold, silver or other forms of Zakaatable wealth. If your husband, with your permission, pays it for you there is no harm. The same is true if your father, brother or others, with your permission, pay it on your behalf. It is allowed for you to pay the Zakaah to your nephew to help him get married if he not able to support himself.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

Question: I sold gold [jewellery] that I used to wear for some time but I did not pay Zakaah on it. I would like from you to make it clear to me what I should do about its Zakaah, given that I sold it for four thousand riyals.

Response: If you did not know that you had to pay Zakaah on it until after you had sold it, then there is nothing that you must do. However, if you knew that you had to pay Zakaah on it, then you should pay 2.5% per year. You should pay that for each previous year according to the value of gold in the marketplace. You must pay 2.5% in cash. However, if you did not know about that until the last year, then you should pay Zakaah just for the last year.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

Question: How does one pay Zakaah on jewellery that is not simply gold but is gold with precious stone inlays? Does one also include the weight of those stones since it would be very difficult to remove the gold and weigh it by itself?

Response: Gold is the thing upon which Zakaah must be paid, even if it is simply for wearing. As for the precious stones, such as pearls, diamonds and so forth, there is no Zakaah on them. If a necklace, for example, has both gold and these other stones, the woman, her husband or guardian then must ponder the matter and try to estimate the amount of gold or give it to an expert to estimate it. It is sufficient to be fairly certain about the matter [and one need not be exact]. If the amount of the nisaab is reached, Zakaah must be paid. The nisaab is twenty mithqaals.. which is ninety-two grams. The Zakaah is to be paid every year [once a year]. The amount is 2.5%. For example, on one thousand, a person pays twenty-five. This is the correct opinion among the views of the scholars. If the jewellery is for business purposes, then one pays Zakaah on all of it, including pearls and diamonds, according to their [market] value, which is the same with all types of merchandise goods. This is the opinion of the majority of the scholars.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

Question: What is the ruling on using zakaah monies to finish builidng a masjid that is almost completed, and its construction may be halted (due to lack of funding)?

Response: 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’ (a scholarly concensus) of the scholars of the early pious predecessors, is that zakaah is not to be used for building masaajid, buying books, or the likes. It may only be distributed to the eight kinds of recipients that are mentioned in the verse in Soorahat-Towbah (Aayah 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 (the zakaah);
4) those whose hearts are inclinded towards Islaam;
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 masaajid is not mentioned here, nor is the building of schools or roadways, nor their likes.

And Allaah is the One who grants success.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Fataawa al-Mar.aMajmoo’ Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah – Volume 14, Page 294

Question: I donated (money) for a charitable project out of fear and shame of my immediate manager at work; If he had left the matter to me I would not have donated, not even half a penny! So am I rewarded in full for this action of mine, just as I would (have been rewarded) if I had donated for this (charitable) project with good intention and personal choice?

Response: If the matter was as you have mentioned, then you are not rewarded for this donation; Because you had not intended (the donation) for the Sake of Allaah, rather, you had offered it to please your colleague out of fear of him. Continue reading →