Source: http://qa.muftisays.com/?4434
Question ID: #4434
 
Question: Zakat in Family Fund
Assalam u Alekum Shaik.
Alhamdulliah we have a large family of over 500 members & We have a family fund where most of the members contribute some amount monthly. The intention of the fund is to be used for Medical Emergencies in family if some one needs it.

Elders are suggesting that we should also include other needs like Marriages, Clearing Debts, Fees & Business lone to needy members.

Question is - Can we give/ take Zakat in such a fund.
 
 
Answered by: Ulamaa ID 04 (London)
Date: 30/03/2020 23:25pm

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب حامداومصليا

Zakat means giving to the poor and needy Muslim. So creating such funds would require that the recipient of Zakat are poor, otherwise it would be invalid. Saying that, a separate account to help well-off families in problems can be created. If however, you have poor family members then you could make this Zakat fund and give Zakat from it without undue delay (delaying payment beyond a year), and delaying it unduly without excuse is sinful.

وافتراضها عمري أي علي التراخي وصححه الباقاني وغيره وقيل فوري أي واجب علي الفوروعليه الفتوي كمافي شرح الوهبانية فيأثم بتأخيرها بلاعذر. قوله فياثم بتأخيرها الخ.... وقديقال المرادأن لايؤخر الي العام القابل لما في البدائع عن المنتقي اذلم يؤد حتي مضي حولان فقد أساء وأثم اه
(الدرالمختارمع ردالمحتار, كتاب الزكوة,ج.2س.271,سعيد)

And Allah knows best

5 ٍSha'ban 1441/ 30 March 2020
Mufti Qamruzzaman

London, UK
 
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