Can i use zakath money to buy flight tickets for my sister?
I want to sponsor my sisters family's flight tickets to visit us, as they cannot afford it. It has been close to 7 years and there is no hope that she will be able to arrange that much money in the future as well. I have saved some money but that is not sufficient so can i also take some amount from the zakat money to help her as otherwise my husband will not agree to pay such a huge amount.
zuliekha
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Assalamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah,
Allah Said:
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ ۖ فَرِيضَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيم
The alms (zakah) are only for the poor and the needy, and those who collect them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and to free the captives and the debtors, and for the cause of Allah, and (for) the wayfarer; a duty imposed by Allah. Allah is Knower, Wise.
Ahaadeeth suggest that one's relatives (those not dependat) are the first to be considered for giving zakah, and then the outsiders. This is true, only if your sister's family falls under one of the categories outlined in the above aayah and have no other source of income. This is according to a sahih hadith in Sunan an Nasai. For more details, you can read these:
http://abdurrahman.org/zakat/which-of-the-eight-categories
http://abdurrahman.org/zakat/fatwaZakahfatwaIslam.html#11
http://abdurrahman.org/zakat/zakaah-to-brother.html
http://abdurrahman.org/zakat/fatwa.html
Wallahu A'lam
Abu Abdul Bari
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
asalamu alaikum,
zakah is given to people who are eligible to receive it i.e poor and the needy, unless your sister's family falls under that category..
ma salama
Ѕαℓαм αℓαукυм sister,
I suggest you speak to a local imam or Aalim around u where you would really be able to give the real situation of things and he would In Sha Allah be able to advice better.
Good replies by the 2 brothers, may Allah continue to increase you in knowledge,اللهم آمِيّنْ
Assalamualikum,
I know that it is a very tricky one, but good to know that it can be explored and no one has ruled it out totally. May Allah help us all in finding the right path. Appreciate your responses.
JazakAllah Khair.