Is There a Specific Way to Distribute Zakat?

Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

Question

Is there a specific way to distribute zakat?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

The Obligation of Zakat and Its Intention

Zakat is an established obligation commanded by Allah (Most High), so anyone intending to give zakat must learn its rulings and conditions to perform it as Allah has prescribed.

One of the crucial matters to be aware of when giving zakat is the intention (niyya). It is necessary to have the intention when giving zakat to distinguish it from other forms of charity, such as expiations and voluntary alms. This is based on the well-known hadith:

“Actions are only by intentions.” [Bukhari; Muslim]

If one distributes zakat personally, the intention should be present at the time of giving it to the recipient or at the time of setting the amount aside from the rest of one’s wealth. If one intends that the set-aside amount is zakat, that is sufficient, and there is no need to renew the intention when distributing it.

If one appoints a representative (wakil) to distribute the zakat, the intention should be made when handing the amount to the representative. After this, the representative does not need to have any further intention when distributing it to the eligible recipients. [al-Fiqh al-Manhaji ‘ala Madhhab al-Imam al-Shafi‘i]

Categories Eligible for Zakat

It is also necessary to distribute the zakat to the categories mentioned in the Quran. Allah (Most High) says:

“Alms-tax is only for the poor and the needy, for those employed to administer it, for those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith), for (freeing) slaves, for those in debt, for Allah’s cause, and for (needy) travelers. (This is) an obligation from Allah. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [Quran, 9:60]

If all these eight categories are found, the zakat must be distributed among them. According to the Shafi‘i school, it is not permissible to exclude any of these categories if they exist. [al-Fiqh al-Manhaji ‘ala Madhhab al-Imam al-Shafi‘i]

Distribution Among Individuals Within Categories

It is not required to equally distribute zakat among individuals of the same category; preference can be given to some over others. If the zakat payer distributes it directly or through a representative, at least three individuals from each category should be given zakat if their number is large and undefined.

If their number is small and easily identifiable, then all should be given if the zakat amount suffices to meet their needs. [Nawawi, al-Majmu‘; Shirbini, Sharh al-Minhaj (with Hashiyat al-Qalyubi wa ‘Umayra)]

Views of the Majority on Zakat Distribution

The majority of scholars (Hanafis, Malikis, and the dominant opinion of the Hanbalis) hold that it is not obligatory to distribute zakat to all eight categories. It is permissible to give zakat to one category or more and to one person. [Ibn Qudama, al-Mughni; Ibn Humam, Fath al-Qadir; Dardir, al-Sharh al-Kabir (with Hashiyat al-Dusuqi)]

May Allah grant us the success to fulfill our duties as He has commanded. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.

[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad

Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.

He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.

He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.

Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.