The permissibility of giving Zakat (obligatory charity) to non-Muslim relatives is a sensitive issue rooted deeply in Islamic jurisprudence, particularly concerning the category of Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum (those whose hearts are to be reconciled). This question arises when a new Muslim, out of filial piety and hope for their family's guidance, seeks to financially assist non-believing parents or siblings using Zakat funds. The ruling involves a nuanced discussion on the primary beneficiaries of Zakat and the specific conditions under which a non-Muslim qualifies as one whose heart is to be reconciled. The following is a detailed fatwa by Sheikh Abdullah Al-Faqih, Mufti of IslamWeb, addressing the validity of previous payments and the correct approach for future Zakat distribution to non-Muslim family members.
اَلسُّؤَالُ: وَالِدِي أَسْلَمَ قَبْلَ 40 سَنَةً وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلَكِنْ أَهْلَهُ لَمْ يُسْلِمُوا أَخَوَاتُهُ وَأُمُّهُ وَأَبُوهُ وَقَدْ كَانَ يُرْسِلُ لِأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ مَالًا مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ بِاعْتِبَارِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَقَدْ تَوَفَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ دُونَ أَنْ يُسْلِمُوا وَالْآنَ يَدْفَعُ الزَّكَاةَ لِأَخَوَاتِهِ غَيْرِ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ، فَهَلْ صَحِيحٌ أَنَّهُمْ يَدْخُلُونَ فِي بَابِ الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَهَلْ تَكُونُ هَذِهِ الزَّكَاةُ مُجْزِئَةً؟ |
THE QUESTION: My father embraced Islam 40 years ago, praise be to Allah, but his family (his sisters, mother, and father) did not. He used to send money to his mother and father from the Zakat funds, considering them among Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum (those whose hearts are to be reconciled). They both passed away without accepting Islam. Now, he pays Zakat to his non-Muslim sisters. Is it correct that they fall under the category of Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum, and is this Zakat payment valid?
خُلَاصَةُ الْفَتْوَى: إِذَا لَمْ تُوجَدْ قَرَائِنُ عَلَى أَنَّ قَرَابَةَ أَبِيكَ يَمِيلُونَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَإِنَّ دَفْعَ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَيْهِمْ غَيْرُ مُجْزِئٍ وَتَجِبُ إِعَادَتُهَا، وَإِذَا كَانَتْ ثَمَّةَ قَرَائِنُ تُفِيدُ مَيْلَهُمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَإِنَّ إِعْطَاءَهُمْ حِينَئِذٍ مَحَلُّ خِلَافٍ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ، وَالظَّاهِرُ الْإِجْزَاءُ؛ وَلَكِنَّ الْأَوْلَى تَجَنُّبُ إِعْطَائِهِمْ فِي الْمُسْتَقْبَلِ خُرُوجًا مِنَ الْخِلَافِ.
Summary of the Verdict: If there were no signs (or indications) that your father’s relatives were inclined towards Islam, then paying Zakat to them is not valid and must be repaid. If there were signs indicating their inclination towards Islam, then giving Zakat to them is a point of difference among the scholars. The apparent view is that it is valid; however, it is better to avoid giving them Zakat in the future to avoid this difference of opinion.اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ:
فَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَى أَبَاكَ لِلْإِسْلَامِ، وَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ لَنَا وَلَهُ الثَّبَاتَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، وَالْوَاجِبُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَنَّ الْأَصْلَ الْمُتَّفَق عَلَيْهِ بَيْنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ هُوَ عَدَمُ جَوَازِ إِعْطَاءِ الْكَاف مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ.
Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and companions. To proceed:
Praise be to Allah Who guided your father to Islam, and we ask Allah for firmness for us and for him upon the truth. It is mandatory to know that the agreed-upon principle among the scholars is the impermissibility of giving Zakat to a non-Muslim.
قَالَ ابْنُ قُدَامَةَ فِي الْمُغْنِي: لَا نَعْلَمُ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ خِلَافًا فِي أَنَّ زَكَاةَ الْأَمْوَالِ لَا تُعْطَى لِكَافِرٍ . قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُنْذِرِ : أَجْمَعَ كُلُّ مَنْ نَحْفَظُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ أَنَّ الذِّمِّيَّ لَا يُعْطَى مِنْ زَكَاةِ الْأَمْوَالِ شَيْئًا. وَلِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لِمُعَاذٍ : أَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ, وَتُرَدُّ فِي فُقَرَائِهِمْ. فَخَصَّهُمْ بِصَرْفِهَا إِلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ (يَعْنِي : فُقَرَاءَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ) , كَمَا خَصَّهُمْ بِوُجُوبِهَا عَلَى أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ. اِنْتَهَى
Ibn Qudamah said in Al-Mughni: "We do not know of any difference of opinion among the people of knowledge that Zakat on wealth should not be given to a non-Muslim." Ibn Al-Munthir said: "All the people of knowledge whom we can recall agreed that Ahl Adh-Dhimmah (non-Muslim subjects) should not be given anything from the Zakat of wealth." This is also because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Mu'adh: "Inform them that they must pay a charity taken from their rich and given to their poor." He specified that it should be directed to their poor (meaning: the poor among the Muslims), just as he specified its obligation upon their rich (the rich among the Muslims). End quote.
وَخُصَّ مِنْ هَذَا الْعُمُومِ صِنْفٌ وَاحِدٌ هُمُ الْمُؤَلَّفَةُ قُلُوبُهُمْ؛ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ. {اَلتَّوْبَةُ:60}.
One group is exempted from this general principle: Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum (those whose hearts are to be reconciled), due to the saying of Allah the Almighty: "Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakat] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise." (Surah At-Tawbah: 60).
وَالْجُمْهُورُ عَلَى أَنَّ سَهْمَ الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ بَاقٍ خِلَافًا لِلْحَنَفِيَّةِ، وَالشَّافِعِيَّةُ لَا يُجَوِّزُونَ إِعْطَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ لِلْكَافِرِ أَصْلًا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةُ عِنْدَهُمْ هُمْ ضِعَافُ الْإِيمَانِ يُعْطَوْنَ لِيَقْوَى إِيمَانُهُمْ، وَعِنْدَ الْمَالِكِيَّةِ وَالْحَنَابِلَةِ أَنَّ إِعْطَاءَ الْكُفَّارِ جَائِزٌ، وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ يَشْتَرِطُونَ أَنْ يَكُونُوا رُؤَسَاءَ مُطَاعِينَ فِي أَقْوَامِهِمْ بِحَيْثُ تَحْصُلُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ مَصْلَحَةٌ رَاجِحَةٌ بِتَأْلِيفِهِمْ، وَأَجَازَ بَعْضُهُمْ دَفْعَ الزَّكَاةِ لِلْوَاحِدِ الْمُعَيَّنِ مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ وَلَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَئِيسًا مُطَاعًا إِذَا كَانَ يُرْجَى إِسْلَامُهُ.
The majority of scholars hold that the share for Al-Mu'allafah remains, contrary to the Hanafis. The Shafi'is do not permit giving Zakat to a non-Muslim at all; to them, Al-Mu'allafah are those weak in faith, who are given Zakat to strengthen their faith. However, according to the Malikis and Hanbalis, it is permissible to give Zakat to non-believers. Most of them stipulate that the beneficiaries must be influential leaders among their people, such that a clear benefit for Islam is achieved by conciliating them. Some of them permitted giving Zakat to a specific individual non-believer, even if he is not an influential leader, provided that his acceptance of Islam is hoped for.
وَالْعِلَّةُ فِيهِ أَنَّ حِفْظَ الدِّينِ وَإِحْيَاءَ الْقَلْبِ أَوْلَى مِنْ حِفْظِ الصِّحَّةِ وَإِحْيَاءِ الْبَدَنِ.
لَكِنْ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُنْتَبَهَ إِلَى أَمْرٍ مُهِمٍّ هُوَ أَنَّ هَذَا الْمُؤَلَّفَ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ يُرْجَى إِسْلَامُهُ فِعْلًا ، بِأَنْ تُوجَدَ قَرَائِنُ ظَاهِرَةٌ تَدُلُّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ.
The reasoning for this is that preserving the religion and reviving the heart takes precedence over preserving health and sustaining the body.
However, it is necessary to pay attention to an important matter: this conciliatory recipient (Al-Mu'allaf) must be someone whose conversion to Islam is genuinely hoped for, meaning there must be clear signs that indicate this.
قَالَ الْعَلَّامَةُ الْعُثَيْمِينُ: وَعُلِمَ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ: يُرْجَى إِسْلَامُهُ، أَنَّ مَنْ لَا يُرْجَى إِسْلَامُهُ مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يُعْطَى أَمَلًا فِي إِسْلَامِهِ، بَلْ لَا بُدَّ أَنْ تَكُونَ هُنَاكَ قَرَائِنُ تُوجِبُ لَنَا رَجَاءَ إِسْلَامِهِ، مِثْلَ أَنْ نَعْرِفَ أَنَّهُ يَمِيلُ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ، أَوْ أَنَّهُ يَطْلُبُ كُتُبًا أَوْ مَا أَشْبَهَ ذَلِكَ، وَالرَّجَاءُ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا عَلَى أَسَاسٍ؛ لِأَنَّ الرَّاجِيَ لِلشَّيْءِ بِلَا أَسَاسٍ إِنَّمَا هُوَ مُتَخَيِّلٌ فِي نَفْسِهِ. اِنْتَهَى.
Allamah Al-Uthaymeen said: "It is understood from the phrase, 'whose conversion to Islam is hoped for,' that a non-Muslim whose conversion is not hoped for should not be given Zakat merely in the hope of their conversion. Rather, there must be clear signs that give us a basis to hope for their acceptance of Islam, such as knowing that they are inclined towards Muslims, or that they are asking for books (on Islam), or similar things. Hope must be based on a foundation; otherwise, one who hopes for something without a basis is merely imagining it." End quote.
وَالْخُلَاصَةُ: أَنَّ وَالِدَكَ حِينَ دَفَعَ الزَّكَاةَ إِلَى أَقَارِبِهِ الْكُفَّارِ لَا يَخْلُو مِنْ أَمْرَيْنِ:
أَوَّلُهُمَا : أَنْ يَكُونَ تَسَاهَلَ فِي دَفْعِهَا إِلَيْهِمْ دُونَ وُجُودِ قَرَائِنَ ظَاهِرَةٍ تَدُلُّ عَلَى مَيْلِهِمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَهَذِهِ الزَّكَاةُ لَا تُجْزِئُهُ قَطْعًا، وَيَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ إِعَادَةُ إِخْرَاجِهَا.
ثَانِيهِمَا: أَنْ يَكُونَ دَفَعَهَا إِلَيْهِمْ مَعَ وُجُودِ قَرَائِنَ ظَاهِرَةٍ تَدُلُّ عَلَى مَيْلِهِمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَفِي هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ الْخِلَافُ الْمُشَارُ إِلَيْهِ، وَالظَّاهِرُ أَنَّ الزَّكَاةَ وَالْحَالُ هَذِهِ قَدْ أَجْزَأَتْهُ لِأَنَّ الْمَسْأَلَةَ اجْتِهَادِيَّةٌ فَلَا يَلْزَمُهُ إِعَادَةُ إِخْرَاجِهَا . |
In Summary: Your father, when he paid Zakat to his non-Muslim relatives, falls under one of two scenarios:
First: That he was negligent in paying Zakat to them without the presence of clear signs indicating their inclination towards Islam. In this case, this Zakat is definitely not valid, and he must re-pay it.
Second: That he paid Zakat to them while there were clear signs indicating their inclination towards Islam. In this scenario, the aforementioned difference of opinion exists. The apparent view is that the Zakat is valid because the matter is subject to scholarly interpretation (Ijtihad), so he is not obliged to re-pay it.
وَأَمَّا بِالنِّسْبَةِ لِدَفْعِ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَيْهِمْ فِيمَا يَسْتَقْبِلُ فَإِنْ كَانَ مِمَّنْ لَا يُرْجَى إِسْلَامُهُمْ لِعَدَمِ وُجُودِ قَرَائِنَ ظَاهِرَةٍ تَدُلُّ عَلَى مَيْلِهِمْ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ دَفْعُ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَيْهِمْ يَقِينًا لِأَنَّهُمْ لَيْسُوا مِنَ الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ، وَأَمَّا إِنْ وُجِدَتْ هَذِهِ الْقَرَائِنُ وَالَّتِي تَقَدَّمَ ذِكْرُ بَعْضِهَا فِي كَلَامِ الشَّيْخِ الْعُثَيْمِينِ فَفِي كَوْنِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ الْخِلَافُ الْمُشَارُ إِلَيْهِ، وَالْأَحْوَطُ عَدَمُ دَفْعِ الزَّكَاةِ إِلَيْهِمْ خُرُوجًا مِنَ الْخِلَافِ ، وَأَنْ تُعِينُوهُمْ وَتَبَرُّوهُمْ بِالصَّدَقَةِ وَالْهَدِيَّةِ وَنَحْوِ ذَلِكَ فَبَابُ ذَلِكَ وَاسِعٌ . | وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
As for paying Zakat to them in the future: If they are not among those whose acceptance of Islam is hoped for due to the absence of clear signs indicating their inclination towards Islam, then it is certainly not permissible to pay Zakat to them, as they are not Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum. However, if these signs—some of which were mentioned in the words of Sheikh Al-Uthaymeen—are present, then their inclusion in the Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum category is subject to the previously mentioned scholarly difference.
The most cautious approach is not to pay Zakat to them in the future, to exit the difference of opinion. Instead, you should help them and show kindness (birr) through regular Sadaqah (voluntary charity), gifts, and similar means, as the door for that is wide open.
And Allah knows best.
Conclusion The core takeaway from this fatwa is the importance of the intent and apparent signs when distributing Zakat to non-Muslims. While the general principle prohibits giving Zakat to non-believers, the category of Al-Mu'allafah Qulubuhum provides a narrow exception focused on a demonstrable hope for their conversion. In the case of the questioner's father, past Zakat payments are likely considered valid if they were made based on a genuine belief and evidence of their family's inclination toward Islam, as this is a matter of Ijtihad. For future payments to his sisters, the scholars strongly advise against using Zakat to avoid any dispute over validity. The recommended and safest path is to fulfill one's familial duty of kindness (Birr) through voluntary charity (Sadaqah) and gifts, ensuring both the Zakat obligation is met correctly and the ties of kinship are maintained.
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