What do the scholars and muftis of the noble Shari’ah say regarding this matter; can I spend my Zakāh money on my cousin’s wedding ceremony?
Questioner: Sa’eedah from UK
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Zakāh money cannot be spent on a wedding ceremony because making a shari’ faqeer [a poor person according to Shari’ah] an owner of the money is a condition. Without tamlīk [transferring the ownership of wealth], Zakāh will not be payed as is mentioned in Tanwīr-ul-Absār ma’ Durr-ul-Mukhtār:
وَيُشْتَرَطُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الصَّرْفُ تَمْلِيكًا لَا إبَاحَةً
In the fulfilment of Zakāh, there must be a transfer of ownership not just (making it) permissible (for the recipient).
[Tanwīr-ul-Absār ma’ al-Durr Mukhtār Vol.3 p.341]
If the cousin is a shari’ faqeer, the payment of Zakāh will be rendered correct by making him/her the owner of the money as the condition of tamlīk will be found.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Dawud Hanif
Read the original answer in Urdu here – [Q-ID0427] Can I spend my Zakah on my poor cousins wedding?
