Who is qualified to receive Zakat?

Society Religion & Philosophy
1

simple question that I am assuming has a very simple answer…

2

Re: Who is qualified to receive Zakat?

Surah Toba, ayat 60

9:60 Alms are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah. and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.

3

Re: Who is qualified to receive Zakat?

Peace Muzna,

Zakat may only be paid to the eight categories mentioned in the Qur'an Chapter 9 Verse 60, namely:

  1. The poor, classified as someone who doesn't have sufficient resources to meet half of his/her basic needs
  2. The needy, classified as someone who doesn't have sufficient resources to meet all of his/her basic needs
  3. Collectors and distributors of Zakat (as in wages),
  4. To those who have recently embraced Islam, for example, to compensate them for difficulties they may face as a result
  5. In order to free a slave
  6. To support debtors who genuinely cannot pay off their debts
  7. In the cause of Allah, which is everything intended to champion Allah's word, and
  8. To support the traveler stranded far from home.

It is preferred for Zakat to be paid first to relatives only if they fall within one of the eight categories mentioned above, then to the people of the same village, city or country and then people of other countries. It is also preferred for the person paying Zakat to pay it directly him or herself, if he/she knows those who are entitled to it, so that compassion and benevolence may be engrained in their heart. Otherwise, he/she may delegate this task to others.

4

To me it looks that if you are not eligible to pay zakat then you are eligible to receive. I might have over simplified it but in nutshell, it should be that