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Zakah to sister in law

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Fatwaa.com

Assalamu alaykum,

I would like to know if we are allowed to give zakaat to my sister in law she is a widow. Before we use to give her zakaat then we found out that she had some jewellery and some money then we stopped giving it to her, now she has made intention that some of the jewellery is her grand daughters and some to her son also the money. But 1 of the son is studying. I’m sure my sister in law is paying zakaat behalf of her son (inshaallah she is) she has kept small amount to herself. so I’m I allowed to give it to her?

Answer

Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

Firstly, you will have to see the value of that jewellery and money. If it is less than the nisab, you may continue giving Zakah to her. If it is equal to or more than the nisaab, it will not be permissible for you to give your Zakah to her. The nisaab is 612.36 grams of silver or its value.

You mentioned that she has made intention that she has given some of the jewellery to her granddaughter and some to her son. Merely making an intention does not cause her to lose ownership. She will have to formally hand over the money and the jewellery to the granddaughter and son, and they will have to take possession of it. Only then will they (the granddaughter and son) be considered the owners.
If ownership was transferred as explained above, then your sister-in-law will now not be considered the owner of the full amount of jewellery and money. You will now have to look at the small amount which she kept for herself, and see if it is equal to or more than the value of 612.36 grams of silver or not. If it is, then it will not be permissible to give Zakah to her. If it is not then you may give her Zakah.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best

Wassalaam,

Ismail Moosa (Mufti)

References

الهبة : تصح بالإيجاب والقبول وتتم القبض فإذا قبض الموهوب له في المجلس بغير أمر الواهب جاز وإن قبض بعد الافتراق لم تصح إلا أن يأذن له الواهب في القبض (مختصر القدوري (ص: 324)كتاب الهبة
الهبة عقد مشروع لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “تهادوا تحابوا” وعلى ذلك انعقد الإجماع “وتصح بالإيجاب والقبول والقبض” أما الإيجاب والقبول فلأنه عقد، والعقد ينعقد بالإيجاب، والقبول، والقبض لا بد منه لثبوت الملك (الهداية في شرح بداية المبتدي (3/ 222)أما تفسيرها شرعا فهي تمليك عين بلا عوض كذا في الكنز وأما ركنها فقول الواهب وهبت لأنه تمليك وإنما يتم بالمالك وحده والقبول شرط ثبوت الملك للموهوب له (الفتاوى الهندية – ط. دار الفكر (4/ 374)

This answer was collected from Fatwaa.com which is an excellent Q&A site managed by Mufti Ismail Moosa from South Africa. .

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