❀ Ruling on Helping a Needy Person’s Marriage from Zakat Funds ❀
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, Page 424
❓ Question
What do the scholars say regarding this matter: if a person is needy (miskīn) and wishes to get married, is it permissible to provide him with financial assistance from the Zakat fund for his marriage or not?
✔ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā Baʿd!
It should be clearly understood that such a person may marry with the help of money from the Zakat fund, because a miskīn is among the rightful recipients of Zakat. As Allah ﷻ has said:
﴿إِنَّمَا ٱلصَّدَقَـٰتُ لِلْفُقَرَآءِ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْعَـٰمِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَٱلْغَـرِمِينَ وَفِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ﴾ (التوبة: 60)
This verse establishes that Zakat can indeed be given to a needy person.
✿ Definition of a Miskīn
- A miskīn is one who has only a small amount of food or provisions, insufficient to meet his basic needs.
- Similarly, he has no savings or stored wealth.
📌 Ruling
Therefore, if this individual is truly a miskīn, financial assistance for his marriage may rightfully be given from Zakat funds.
Hadhā mā ʿindī, wallāhu aʿlam bis-ṣawāb.
