May an indebted child receive the father's zakah?
2026-10-13
T156 · 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, 25/92. The answer distinguishes an unpayable debt, inability to provide maintenance, and adequate existing maintenance.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
هل من كان عليه دين يجوز له أن يأخذ من زكاة أبيه لقضاء دينه أم لا؟
الجواب
إذا كان على الولد دين، ولا وفاء له؛ جاز له أن يأخذ من زكاة أبيه في أظهر القولين في مذهب أحمد وغيره.
وأما إن كان محتاجا إلى النفقة، وليس لأبيه ما ينفق عليه، ففيه نزاع، والأظهر أنه يجوز له أخذ زكاة أبيه.
وأما إن كان مستغنيا بنفقة أبيه، فلا حاجة به إلى زكاته. والله أعلم.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
May someone who owes a debt take from his father's zakah to pay it?
Answer
If a child owes a debt and has no means to pay it, he may take from his father's zakah according to the stronger of the two views in the school of Aḥmad and others.
If he needs maintenance and his father lacks the means to provide it, there is disagreement; the stronger view is that he may take his father's zakah.
But if his father's maintenance provides sufficiently for him, he has no need of his zakah. Allah knows best.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 25/92
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.