Last Updated on Saturday, 02 January 2010 01:02
Can Zakah be spent on the Non-Muslims?
Shehzad Saleem
Some people are of the view that zakah cannot be spent on Non-Muslims. This view is not correct.
The following Qur’anic verse spells out the heads under which zakah can be expended:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاء وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللّهِ وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ
Zakah is only for the poor and the needy, and for those who are ‘amils over it, and for those whose hearts are to be reconciled [to the truth], and for the emancipation of the slaves and for those who have been inflicted with losses and for the way of Allah and for the wayfarers. (9:60)
It is evident from the verse quoted above that the Qur’an does not discriminate between the recipients of zakah on the basis of their beliefs or religion. In other words, zakah money can be given to any needy person whatever his religion is.
Taken with thanks from www.al-mawrid.org
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