Who Can Receive Zakat?

Recipients of zakat are clarified within the Qur’anic text, Allah Most High said, ‘The alms are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the slaves and the debtors, and for [those striving for] the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarer: an obligation from Allah, and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.’ [Qur’an 9:60].

 

Baytul-Mãl is committed to distributing zakat in accordance to the Islamic principles, below are some of the sub-categories of the above and we will attempt to distribute zakat across as many of these categories as possible:

 

1. The poor or needy that possess less than the nisab (threshold) or it’s value. This includes asylum seekers and refugees, these will be considered high priority due to level of poverty most are in.

2. New Muslims who are poor and needy.

3. Those in debt: someone who is under an obligation to pay off a debt and does not possess a nisab in excess of his debt. This will not include mortgages, student loans or car finance and similar loans.

4. Students of Islamic knowledge will be given zakat as an investment in communities. Students of Islamic knowledge are people who have committed themselves to studying such that they cannot earn an income. For this reason, even if they are able to earn an income, zakat will be given to them.

 

It is invalid to give zakat to :

 

• A non-Muslim.

• Build a mosque.

• Shroud a deceased person.

• Someone who possesses the nisab from any type of wealth. This also applies to a child [of prepubescent age] whose father possess the nisab value.

• Family members of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).