Question:
My brother lives in Bangladesh and I live here in the United Kingdom. He is quite poor that he is eligible to receive Zakah payments. His house is not in good repair: one corner of the roof is slightly broken, because of which, the rain gets inside.
I would like to help out my brother in covering the cost of the repair. Is it permissible for me to pay some of my Zakah money to my brother and ask him to use this to cover the cost of the repair.
Answer:
الجواب باسم ملهم الصواب
The general principle is that when Zakah payment is given to a person, it is essential to make the person the whole owner of the amount. Therefore, having received the payment, the person should be free to spend it according to his own desires and needs, without any restrictions from the grantor.
Thus, conditional Zakah payment, i.e. requiring the recipient to spend it in certain areas specified by the grantor, is not valid.
In the case mentioned above, you should pay the Zakah money to your brother first, and then request him to spend it in the repair. However, he will not be obliged to spend it in covering the cost of the repair.
Answered by:
Abdullah Fahim
Imam & Khateeb, Masjid Taqwa
Kyrwicks Lane, Birmingham
18th Sh’aban 1441 AH
قال في الدر: (لا) يصرف (إلى بناء) نحو (مسجد)
وقال في رد المحتار: (قوله: نحو مسجد) كبناء القناطر، والسقايات، وإصلاح الطرقات، وكري الأنهار، والحج، والجهاد وكل ما لا تمليك فيه، زيلعي (راجع: ج: 6، ص 90، دار الثقافة والتراث، دمشق)
ثم قال في الدر: «وقدمنا أن الحيلة أن يتصدق على الفقير ثم يأمره بفعل هذه الأشياء، وهل له أن يخالف أمره؟ لم أره، والظاهر نعم» (راجع: ج: 6، ص 94)