What do the scholars of the Din and muftis of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: Did the Messenger of Allāh ever ﷺ give Zakāh to any non-Muslims. Can one give Zakāh to a non-Muslim to bring them towards Islām, and can a non-Muslim ever be eligible for Zakāh?
Questioner: Adam from England
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
When Islām was lesser in number, the Noble Prophet ﷺ would give Zakāh to some non-Muslims, so that it would create affection towards Islām in their hearts. However, later on when Allāh Almighty caused Islām to become more in number, then [the ruling for] this share – the mu’allafah qulūb [those in whose hearts is affection] – was dropped, and there is Ijmā’ [consensus] among the whole Ummah upon this being rendered null & void – and consensus is similar to textual evidence [Qurān & Hadīth], thus Zakāh will no longer be given to non-Muslims, and nor can it be given as such in the future.
Just as ‘Allāmah Abū al-Hasan ‘Alī Ibn Bakr Marghīnānī, mercy be upon him, states in his book al-Hidāyah,
الْأَصْلُ فِيهِ قَوْله تَعَالَى {إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ} فَهَذِهِ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَصْنَافٍ، وَقَدْ سَقَطَ مِنْهَا الْمُؤَلَّفَةُ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَعَزّ الْإِسْلَامَ وَأَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ وَعَلَى ذَلِكَ انْعَقَدَ الْإِجْمَاعُ
“The principle (evidence) for those eligible for Zakāh is the command of Allāh Almighty; Zakāh is only for the poor & the needy. Thus, these are the eligible eight, and among them the mu’allafah qulūb – i.e. those in whose hearts was the affection of Islām – have been revoked because Allāh Almighty further increased Islām in dignity, and dispensed them, and it is this upon which there is consensus.”
[al-Hidāyah ma’ al-‘Ināyah, vol 2, pg 259]
Moreover, the cancelling of their Zakāh occurred during the caliphate of Sayyidunā Abū Bakr Siddīq, may Allāh Almighty be pleased with him, just as it is stated in Radd al-Muhtār,
لِسُقُوطِهِمْ) أَيْ فِي خِلَافَةِ الصِّدِّيقِ لَمَّا مَنَعَهُمْ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمَا وَانْعَقَدَ عَلَيْهِ إجْمَاعُ الصَّحَابَةِ)
“This abolishment of theirs occurred in the caliphate of [Sayyidunā Abū Bakr] Siddīq, when Sayyidunā ‘Umar, may Allāh Almighty be pleased with him, prohibited them, and the consensus of the Blessed Companions convened upon this.”
[al-Durr al-Muhtār ma’ Radd al-Muhtār, pg 2, pg 342]
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 Haider Ali
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0735] Is it permissible to give Zakah to a non-Muslim?
