❀ Giving Zakat to an Unworthy Recipient Out of Ignorance is Still Valid ❀
Written by: Imran Ayub Lahori
❖ Giving Zakat Mistakenly to a Non-Deserving Person is Acceptable
Narrated by Abū Hurairah (رضي الله عنه):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
(From among the Children of Israel) a man once said: “Tonight I will certainly give charity.” So he went out and unknowingly placed the charity in the hands of a thief. In the morning, people began saying: “Last night, charity was given to a thief.” The man said: “O Allah! All praise is for You. Tonight I will give charity again.”
So he again went out and this time unknowingly gave it to a prostitute. In the morning, people said: “Charity was given to a prostitute last night.” The man said: “O Allah! All praise is for You—I gave it to an immoral woman.”
He said: “Tonight I will give charity once more.” He went out again and this time unknowingly gave it to a rich man. In the morning, people said: “Charity was given to a wealthy person last night.” The man said: “O Allah! All praise is for You—I gave my charity to a thief, a prostitute, and a rich man.”
Then it was said to him (by Allah): “As for the thief, perhaps he will stop stealing because of your charity. As for the prostitute, perhaps she will refrain from fornication. And as for the wealthy man, perhaps he will take heed and spend from what Allah has given him.”
[Bukhārī: 1421, Kitāb al-Zakāh: Chapter on Giving Charity to the Wealthy Unknowingly]
✿ Key Takeaways:
◈ If Zakat or charity is given in ignorance to someone not eligible, it still counts and the giver is not held accountable, as long as the intention was sincere.
◈ Allah accepts the deed and may bring positive consequences even from what appears to be a mistake.
◈ This Hadith reflects the mercy and wisdom of Allah ﷻ and the importance of intention (niyyah) in acts of worship.
