❀ Giving Zakat to One’s Parents and Children ❀
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
❖ Ruling on Giving Zakat to Parents and Children
It is not permissible to give obligatory Zakat to one’s parents or children, regardless of how far up or down the lineage they go—
❖ Whether fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers,
❖ Or sons, grandsons, great-grandsons—
The reason is: Their financial support (nafaqah) is obligatory on the person if he has the means to provide it.
✔ Ibn al-Mundhir رحمه الله has reported consensus (ijmāʿ) on this issue.
[al-Ijmāʿ by Ibn al-Mundhir: 118, p. 51; al-Mughnī: 4/98]
✔ The author of Baḥr al-Zakhār has also reported consensus.
[as referenced in Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/141]
❖ Giving Zakat to Other Relatives
According to Ibn ‘Abbās (رضي الله عنهما):
“There is no harm in giving Zakat to those relatives who are not part of your direct dependents.”
[Ibn Abī Shaybah: 10531]
✔ Shaykh Ibn Bāz رحمه الله supports the same view.
[Fatāwā Ibn Bāz (Urdu Translation): 1/117]
❖ Why Zakat Cannot Be Given to Children
The reason Zakat cannot be given to children is that a father owns the wealth of his children, meaning that giving them Zakat would be as if one gave it to oneself.
➊ Prophetic Hadith:
أنت ومالك لأبيك
“You and your wealth belong to your father.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 1855, 1856; Kitāb al-Tijārāt: Bāb Mā li’l-Rajul min Māl Waladih; Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl: 838; Ibn Mājah: 2291, 2292]
➋ Another Hadith:
إن أولادكم من كسبكم
“Indeed, your children are from your own earnings.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Mājah: 1854; also in Ibn Mājah: 2290; Abū Dāwūd: 3528; al-Tirmidhī: 1358]
➌ Incident of Inadvertent Charity to One’s Child
A narration mentions that Yazīd (رضي الله عنه) unintentionally gave charity to his son Ma‘n (رضي الله عنه). He later brought the matter to the Prophet ﷺ for arbitration, who said:
لك ما نويت يا يزيد، ولك ما أخذت يا معن
“O Yazīd, you will be rewarded for your intention; and O Ma‘n, what you have received is yours.”
[Bukhārī: 1422, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Giving Charity to One’s Son Unknowingly; Aḥmad: 3/470]
✔ Imam al-Shawkānī رحمه الله stated that this Hadith refers to voluntary charity (nafl ṣadaqah).
[Nayl al-Awṭār: 3/142]
❖ Exception: When Zakat to Parents or Children is Permissible
✔ According to Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله,
It is permissible to give Zakat to one’s parents or children if they are poor and the giver is unable to support them financially.
[Ikhtiyārāt Ibn Taymiyyah: p. 61–62]
✿ Summary:
◈ Zakat cannot be given to direct ascendants (parents, grandparents) or descendants (children, grandchildren) if their financial maintenance is obligatory on the giver.
◈ Zakat may be given to other relatives who are not under one’s financial care.
◈ If a person is financially incapable of supporting their poor parents or children, Zakat may be given to them based on the view of scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah.
◈ Voluntary charity (nafl ṣadaqah) has more flexibility and can be given to anyone, including close relatives.
