I know a person rashid (changed name) who is sayyed as his father was sayyed but not his mother… My question is that rashid have 2-3 brothers & sisters. Few years ago rashid’s brother majid got died. And majid is having a family of 1 wife (which is not sayyed) & 2 daughters only. They are in very poor condition and no one their uncle helping them. So is it permissible to give zakaat to majid wife and their children. The widow first child is 10 yrs old and second daughter is 6-7 years old? (2) Is it really true that there is no caste of woman?
Answer
(Fatwa: 782/1030=H/1429)
(1) If the widow of late Majid is neither a syed (the family of the Prophet peace be upon him) nor owner of Nisab (amount prescribed for zakah), then giving Zakah to her is correct. She can possess it and spend it on her children.
(2) Women also belong to caste. If her father is from syed family, she will also be Syedah, but in this situation, she will not entitled to receive Zakah. You might be in doubt on lineage. Actually, lineage belongs to father not to mother.
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband