Fatwa n° 635
Category: Fatwas about Zakât (obligatory charity) 

The ruling concerning the transfer of Zakât
from a country or a region to another

Question:
What is the ruling concerning thetransferring of Zakât from a Wilayah (state) to another?

Answer:
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers until the Day of Resurrection:

The basic principle is that Zakât has to be paid to the eight categories if they are available; otherwise, it has to be paid to the available among them in the same country, according to the hadith of Mu’âdh رضي الله عنه that the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عليه وآله وسَلَّم  said: “Inform them that Allah has enjoined them to give charity (Zakât) -from their money-. It is taken from their wealthy people and given to their poor people” (1).

However, when people are not in need of Zakât in the country where it has to be paid whereas others are in great need of Zakât, or the categories that merit Zakât are not available; there is no objection to give the Zakât wherever they are. In the same way, it is permissible to transfer the Zakât for an interest approved religiously.

In spite of this, if one transfers Zakât without the aforementioned reasons his would be valid, but he would have contradicted what has priority and is preferable. Ibn Qudâma said: “If he does the opposite and transfers it (Zakât), it would be valid according to the statement of the majority of the scholars…, but if people in the country wherein Zakât is to be paid are not in need of Zakât, in this case it is permissible to transfer it” (2). [i.e. according to those who prohibit it]

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah عزَّ وجلَّ; and our last prayer is all the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and prayers of Allah are to Muhammad and his Family, Companions and Brothers until the Day of Resurrection. 

Algiers on Dhu Al-Qa‘da the 25th, 1427 H
Corresponding to December the 16th, 2006 G. 


(1)   Reported by Al-Bukhârî (1395) and by Muslim (19) on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbâs  رضي الله عنهما.

(2) See: “Al-Mughnî” of Ibn Qudâma (2/ 672-673).

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