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Assisting one’s family before assisting others

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Muftionline.co.za

Q: I am a fairly wealthy person and don’t give much to my siblings’ children because they are in my will. However I give lots of charity/sadaqah to other organizations. Is my sadaqah or charity valid if my sibling divorced his wife and left her and his kids, an​d they are not well off and struggle every other day?

Bismillaah

A: Your zakaat and sadaqah will be valid. Assisting the poor and needy is greatly rewarding. However, Shar’iah has emphasised that you assist your family before you assist others as your family have a greater right over you. Allah Ta’ala says in the holy Qur’an:

يَسْئَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ ۖ قُل ما أَنفَقتُم مِن خَيرٍ فَلِلولِدَينِ وَالأَقرَبينَ وَاليَتـمى وَالمَسـكينِ وَابنِ السَّبيلِ ۗ وَما تَفعَلوا مِن خَيرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِهِ عَليمٌ (البقرة: 215)​

They ask you what they should spend (in charity). Say: Whatever good you spend should be for the parents, family, orphans, those in want and for wayfarers. And whatever good you do, Allah is fully aware of it.

By assisting your family who are in need of your financial support, you will receive greater reward from Allah Ta’ala. 

And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يَأمُرُ بِالعَدلِ وَالإِحسـنِ وَإيتائِ ذِى القُربى وَيَنهى عَنِ الفَحشاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ وَالبَغىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُم لَعَلَّكُم تَذَكَّرونَ ﴿النحل:٩٠﴾

لَيسَ البِرَّ أَن تُوَلّوا وُجوهَكُم قِبَلَ المَشرِقِ وَالمَغرِبِ وَلـكِنَّ البِرَّ مَن ءامَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَاليَومِ الـٔاخِرِ وَالمَلـئِكَةِ وَالكِتـبِ وَالنَّبِيّـۧنَ وَءاتَى المالَ عَلى حُبِّهِ ذَوِى القُربى وَاليَتـمى وَالمَسـكينَ وَابنَ السَّبيلِ وَالسّائِلينَ وَفِى الرِّقابِ وَأَقامَ الصَّلوةَ وَءاتَى الزَّكوةَ وَالموفونَ بِعَهدِهِم إِذا عـهَدوا ۖ وَالصّـبِرينَ فِى البَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ وَحينَ البَأسِ ۗ أُولـئِكَ الَّذينَ صَدَقوا ۖ وَأُولـئِكَ هُمُ المُتَّقونَ ﴿البقرة: ١٧٧﴾

Answered by:

Mufti Zakaria Makada

Checked & Approved:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)

This answer was collected from MuftiOnline.co.za, where the questions have been answered by Mufti Zakaria Makada (Hafizahullah), who is currently a senior lecturer in the science of Hadith and Fiqh at Madrasah Ta’leemuddeen, Isipingo Beach, South Africa.

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