May zakah be sent to needy relatives in a distant town?
2026-10-13
T149 · 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, 25/85. Need, eligibility and the absence of sufficient support from another source are all retained.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
وسئل رحمه الله عمن له زكاة، وله أقارب في بلد تقصر إليه الصلاة، وهم مستحقون الصدقة، فهل يجوز أن يدفعها إليهم أم لا؟
الجواب
الحمد لله، إذا كانوا محتاجين مستحقين للزكاة، ولم تحصل لهم كفايتهم من جهة غيره، فإنه يعطيهم من الزكاة، ولو كانوا في بلد بعيد. والله أعلم.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about someone who owes zakah and has relatives in a town at a distance that permits shortening prayer. They are eligible for charity: may he give it to them?
Answer
Praise belongs to Allah. If they are needy, eligible for zakah, and have not received enough for their needs from someone else, he may give them zakah even if they are in a distant town. Allah knows best.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 25/85
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.