❀ Can a Wife Give Zakat to Her Husband? ❀
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
❖ A Wife Giving Zakat to Her Husband
It is authentically reported that a wife may give her Zakat to her husband, if he qualifies as a recipient, i.e., he is needy or poor and falls under one of the eight eligible categories of Zakat.
➊ Evidence from the Hadith
Narrated by Abū Sa‘īd al-Khudrī (رضي الله عنه):
When Zaynab (رضي الله عنها), the wife of ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (رضي الله عنه), intended to give Zakat on her jewelry, Ibn Mas‘ūd told her that he and their children were more deserving of that Zakat. Zaynab then went to the Prophet ﷺ to inquire about it. He ﷺ replied:
“صدق ابن مسعود زوجك وولدك أحق من تصدقت به عليهم“
“Ibn Mas‘ūd has spoken the truth. Your husband and your children are more deserving of your charity.”
[Bukhārī: 1462, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Zakat Upon Relatives]
➋ Position of Scholars
✔ According to the majority of scholars (jumhūr), a wife may give Zakat to her husband if he is eligible (i.e., poor and deserving).
✔ However, some jurists from all four schools (Shāfi‘iyyah, Mālikiyyah, Ḥanafiyyah, Ḥanābilah), including Imām Abū Yūsuf and Imām Muḥammad, held the opposite view:
That a wife cannot give Zakat to her husband.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/140; Sharḥ al-Muhadhdhab: 6/138; al-Umm: 2/69; al-Mughnī: 4/100; al-Mabsūṭ: 3/11]
❖ Can a Husband Give Zakat to His Wife?
There is scholarly disagreement on this issue. However, the stronger opinion (rājiḥ) is:
❖ A husband cannot give Zakat to his wife, because he is obligated to financially support her.
✔ Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله mentioned consensus (ijmāʿ) that a man cannot give Zakat to his wife from whom he is responsible for providing maintenance.
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/141]
✔ Amīr al-Ṣan‘ānī رحمه الله also stated:
“The scholars unanimously agree that it is not permissible to give obligatory Zakat to one’s wife.”
[Subul al-Salām: 2/841]
✿ Important Condition:
A wife may give Zakat to her husband only if he qualifies as one of the eight categories of Zakat recipients as outlined in the Qur’an (e.g., poor, debtor, etc.). Otherwise, it is not permissible.
