Are relatives always preferred when distributing zakah?
2026-10-13
T153 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Original Q&A · Complete source question and answer
Complete original question and answer, 25/89. The relative's priority depends on equal need; the more needy unrelated recipient must not be passed over through favouritism.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
وسئل قدس الله روحه عن دفع الزكاة إلى أقاربه المحتاجين، الذين لا تلزمه نفقتهم: هل هو الأفضل أو دفعها إلى الأجنبي ؟
الجواب
أما دفع الزكاة إلى أقاربه، فإن كان القريب الذي يجوز دفعها إليه حاجته مثل حاجة الأجنبي إليها، فالقريب أولى، وإن كان البعيد أحوج، لم يحاب بها القريب. قال أحمد، عن سفيان بن عيينة: كانوا يقولون: لا يحابي بها قريبا، ولا يدفع بها مذمة، ولا يقي بها ماله.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He, may Allah sanctify his soul, was asked: Is it better to give zakah to needy relatives whom one is not obliged to maintain, or to an unrelated person?
Answer
As for giving zakah to relatives: if a relative to whom it is permissible to give it has the same need as the unrelated person, the relative has priority. If the unrelated person is in greater need, the relative should not be favoured at his expense. Aḥmad reported from Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah: They used to say, ‘One should not use it to favour a relative, ward off criticism, or protect one's own wealth.’
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 25/89
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic question and complete answer collated with the cited source text and its adjacent question boundaries. Arabic diacritics omitted, display marks removed and honorific glyphs expanded. Browsing headings and scope notes are editorial.