In the Shafi’i School, Can My Mother Use Her Zakat Money to Pay Off My Father’s Debt

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

In the Shafi‘i School, can my mother use her zakat money to pay off my father’s debt to my sister, given that she has gold liable for zakat but no income?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

Thank you for your question. May Allah (Most High) grant you and your family ease and bless you with clarity in fulfilling your obligations.

Zakat Eligibility and Paying Off Debts in the Shafi‘i School

In the Shafi‘i School, zakat may be given to individuals who qualify as “al-gharimin” (the indebted), which is one of the eight categories of zakat recipients mentioned in the Quran:

“(Zakat is) only for the poor, the needy, those employed to administer it, those whose hearts are attracted (to the faith), to free 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 your father is in debt and unable to repay it, he would be eligible to receive zakat under this category.

Can a Wife Give Zakat to Her Husband?

A wife is not legally obligated to support her husband financially. Consequently, she may give her zakat to her husband if he qualifies as a legitimate zakat recipient. This permissibility extends to paying off her husband’s debts, as long as the funds are not used to relieve her of a personal obligation, such as shared expenses she must cover.

Your Mother’s Gold and Zakat Obligations

Regarding your mother’s gold, the Shafi‘i School exempts personal jewelry from zakat, even if its weight exceeds the nisab (minimum threshold of 87.48 grams of gold). Zakat is only obligatory on gold that is not used for personal adornment, such as gold in the form of coins, bars, or similar assets. Please read the details here.

If your mother possesses gold liable for zakat (e.g., non-jewelry gold) and its value meets or exceeds the nisab, she would be required to pay zakat on it after holding it for a full lunar year. In such a case, she may use her zakat funds to pay off your father’s debt to your sister, provided he cannot repay it himself.

Practical Considerations

When giving zakat to relatives, it is essential to ensure that the recipient meets the eligibility criteria. Zakat must be given directly to the recipient or, with their consent, used to settle their debts.

Conclusion

Based on the above, your mother may use her zakat to pay off your father’s debt to your sister, provided he qualifies as a zakat recipient under the category of “al-gharimin” and that all other conditions of zakat are fulfilled.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Muhammad Abu Bakr Badhib

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.