Q: I told the brothers they can pay zakah earlier then the time it is due. Example Ramadaan is in a week so give it now to benefit the poor. The people said it makes no sense. They said, then why can I not fast a month earlier. Why can I not pray salaah a day before. Is it that we can give zakaah earlier because it is to benefit the poor? Can you please help me answer this brother.
A: In matters of Deen we all depend on the Qur’aan, Hadeeth and the statements of the Fuqahaa. According to their statements, it is permissible to pay zakaah before the due date. Hence this will be a futile exercise to employ reasoning against their statements. They do have very sound intellectual reasoning for these masaa’il but this reasoning is more easily understood by scholars and experts.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)