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:

Assalmualykum,

Sir,

I read your all question and Answer and fine very good Pl give me answer that i can or i can not

Pl sir because i want to do with in two days

My sister has 4 daughters living in flat

they have one shop also but from last some years they are too much debits (karza) Karza is in lakhs of rupees

Sir I count my zakat is about 5000 rs Can i give zakat to my sister without inform them that this is zakat ????????? i want to give more 2 or 3 thousand rupees more may i give them as passed zakat or advace zakat or sadaka or lillah which one is better Pl reply fast

Allah give jazye khaire

allah hafiz

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Zakah to sister

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.

Shariah Law dictates that one cannot give or spend their ‘zakah’ dues only on those who are directly under their responsibility or care like parents, wives, children, etc. The brother does not hold a direct financial responsibility for his sister, nor does a sister hold direct financial responsibility for her brother in Islam; thus there is absolutely no harm, lawful, and encouraged in Islam if a brother wishes to spend his ‘zakah’ dues on his deserving sister, or a sister wishes to spend of her ‘zakah’ dues on her deserving brother.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said that those who have the biggest right that ‘zakah’ or ‘sadaqah’ should be spent on them are the near relatives; and one who spends of their ‘zakah’ or ‘sadaqah’ dues on their relatives will have a double reward from their Lord! One reward for fulfilling their ‘zakah’ obligations, and another reward for helping their relatives.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 1939 Narrated by Sulayman ibn Amir

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "Charity given to a poor man is just charity, but when given to a relative it serves a double purpose, being both charity and a connecting link."

Can i give zakat to my sister without inform them that this is zakat ?????????

As long as the one who is paying the ‘zakah’ has made intention in his heart of fulfilling his obligatory duty of ‘zakah’, there is absolutely no condition or obligation upon him/her to declare to the recipient of zakah the source of the funds being given to them. If one wills one may declare to the recipient that they are from ‘zakah’ funds, and if one wills or wishes not to disclose the source of his funds to the recipient, there is absolutely no harm.

When one pays ‘zakah’ funds to someone one knows, like a relative or a loved one or a friend, it is best and encouraged in Islam to not disclose to the recipient that the funds are from ‘zakah’ dues, so as to not humiliate them and preserve the self-honor and dignity of the recipient.

Your Question: i want to give more 2 or 3 thousand rupees more may i give them as passed zakat or advace zakat or sadaka or lillah

which one is better

If one has not paid one’s annual obligatory ‘zakah’ funds from the past, then one must fulfill their obligation to their Lord and must release these funds and spend them as soon as possible. But if one has fulfilled one’s past zakah, and wishes to spend more than one’s annual zakah on a deserving recipient, there is absolutely no harm if one pays out the extra amount with the intention of ‘sadaqah’ or even ‘advance’ zakah for the coming year.

Your Question: which one is better

If one has fulfilled and paid out one’s current zakah dues and wishes to spend extra in the Cause of Allah, it is best to pay the extra as Sadaqah rather than advance zakah.

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