Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

asslam alikum i belong with syed(sunni) family, i will be very greatfull if you advice me that can i give zakat to our reletives who is also belong from syed family 

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Answer:

Zakah to syed banu hashim

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The Prophet (saws) declared: "Indeed, Sadaqah ought not to be given to the family of Muhammad (saws)."

(Narrated by Muslim)

Abu Hurairah reported that when al-Hasan bin Ali (r.a.) took one date from the sadaqah dates, the Prophet (saws) said to him: "Nay, spit it out! Don't you know that we (the family of Prophet Mohamed (saws)) cannot eat from charity?"

(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

In light of the above authentic narrations, the scholars of Islam are unanimous that the Messenger of Allah (saws) declared the receipt of Zakat and Sadaqah haraam for not only his immediate family, but his whole tribe of Banu Hashim. Thus that includes the family and offspring of Hadrat Ali ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.), Hadrat Aqil ibn Abi Taalib (r.a.) and his offspring, Hadrat Jaafar al Tayyar (r.a.) and his offspring and Hadrat Abbas (r.a.) and his offspring. The wisdom behind this prohibition of any member of the tribe of Banu Hashim accepting charity was to forestall any allegation by the disbelievers and the hypocrites that Prophet Mohamed (saws) and his extended family sought to gain any worldly profit or gain for themselves because of Islam!

The literal meaning of the Arabic term ‘Syed’ is a ‘leader’, and is used in colloquial Arabic as a term for respect like ‘Mr.’ in the English language.

There is no particular sect, tribe or family which is known as ‘Syeds’. This ‘Syed’ term for some reason has become synonymous in the Indo-Pak region to mean a descendant of the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) and is most probably derived from the early Arab settlers who came to the Indo-Pak region and were called ‘Syeds’ in respect by the local population.

The descendants of the Noble Prophet of Allah (saws) are better known as the Banu-Hashim or the Hashimites.

There are a lot of people in the Indian Subcontinent who call themselves ‘Syeds’ and connote that they are descendants of the Messenger of Allah (saws). They may or may not be the direct descendants of the Prophet (saws) or from the Banu Hashim, and Allah Subhanah Alone knows best.

If they indeed belong to the descendants of Prophet Mohamed (saws) or the descendants of the tribe of Banu Hashim, they may accept a gift but the taking of Zakat and Sadaqah would not be permissible for them.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.750 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Whenever a meal was brought to Allah's Messenger (saws), he would ask whether it was a gift or Sadaqa (something given in charity). If he (saws) was told that it was Sadaqa, he would tell his companions to eat it, but if it was a gift, he (saws) would share it with them.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan