Can We Give Charity to a Descendant of the Prophet?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question: Assalam alaykum

Can we give charity to a descendant of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?

Answer: Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,

The basis

The basis is that zakat cannot be given to the descendants of Hashim, namely, those from (1) `Abbas, (2) Harith, (3) `Ali, (4) Ja`far and (5) `Uqayl.

However, Tahawi deemed it valid, and a number of jurists confirmed this given the fact that other avenues of charity are no longer available to them.

Note that this ruling is with respect to those with established lineages, and not necessarily anybody with the mere name or ascription to any of the aforementioned. Further, if the person is a descendant through the mother, the ruling is also inapplicable, so they can, too, accept zakat.

The proper way

But what is generally proper is that such descendants are assisted via other means, such as regular charity, if reasonably possible. And if the need arises to assist them through zakat funds, local, reliable scholars should be consulted first.

[Shurunbulali, Maraqi al-Falah with Tahtawi’s Gloss (2.399); Ibn `Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar `ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar (2.66)/al-`Uqud al-Durriyya fi Tanqih al-Fatawa al-Hamidiyya (1.12-13); Shalabi, Hashiyat al-Tabyin (1.303)]

Please also see: Zakat: How to Calculate & Whom to Give

And Allah Most High alone knows best.

[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorised the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.