Giving Zakat to the Rich in Palestine

QA-ID-0001

QUESTION

Is the following answer correct:

“In Palestine, everyone is regarded as Mujaahid in the way of Allah ﷻ, therefore, even if they are rich, they can take Zakaah.”

ANSWER

The answer quoted in the question is not correct according to the Hanafī school.

All those who are permitted to take zakāt must meet the conditions of being needy (faqr; muhtāj) except the collector (‘āmil), wayfarer (ibn sabīl), and the indentured servant (mukātab).

A mujāhid (warrior) would fall under the category of ‘fī sabīlillāh’ (in the way of Allāh) but only if he is poor and does not have the threshold amount. If he is rich or has the threshold amount, he cannot take zakāt.

To say that a mujāhid who is wealthy can take zakāt is patently false according to the Hanafī school.

والله تعالى أعلم
And Allāh Knows Best

Muhammad Kalim Misbahi

الجواب صحيح
The Answer is Correct
Muftī Nasīm Misbahī (Muftī, Al-Jāmiah al-Ashrafiah, Mubarakpur, India)


REFERENCES

رد المحتار:
وَلِأَنَّ الْفَقْرَ شَرْطٌ فِي جَمِيعِ الْأَصْنَافِ إلَّا الْعَامِلَ وَالْمُكَاتَبَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ [ج ٢، ص ٣٣٩]

وَقَدْ قَالَ فِي الْبَدَائِعِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعُ الْقُرَبِ فَيَدْخُلُ فِيهِ كُلُّ مَنْ سَعَى فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَسَبِيلِ الْخَيْرَاتِ إذَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجًا [ج ٢، ص ٣٤٣]

(قَوْلُهُ: لَا يَمْلِكُ نِصَابًاقُيِّدَ بِهِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْفَقْرَ شَرْطٌ فِي الْأَصْنَافِ كُلِّهَا إلَّا الْعَامِلُ وَابْنُ السَّبِيلِ إذَا كَانَ لَهُ فِي وَطَنِهِ مَالٌ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْفَقِيرِ [ج ٢، ص ٣٤٣]

(قَوْلُهُ: وَهُوَ مُنْقَطِعُ الْغُزَاةِ) أَيْ الَّذِينَ عَجَزُوا عَنْ اللُّحُوقِ بِجَيْشِ الْإِسْلَامِ لِفَقْرِهِمْ بِهَلَاكِ النَّفَقَةِ أَوْ الدَّابَّةِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِمَا فَتَحِلُّ لَهُمْ الصَّدَقَةُ وَإِنْ كَانُوا كَاسِبِينَ إذًا الْكَسْبُ يُقْعِدُهُمْ عَنْ الْجِهَادِ [ج ٢، ص ٣٤٣]

وَفِي الْبَحْرِ عَنْ النِّهَايَةِ، فَإِنْ قُلْت: مُنْقَطِعُ الْغُزَاةِ أَوْ الْحَجِّ إنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي وَطَنِهِ مَالٌ فَهُوَ فَقِيرٌ وَإِلَّا فَهُوَ ابْنُ السَّبِيلِ فَكَيْفَ تَكُونُ الْأَقْسَامُ سَبْعَةً قُلْت: هُوَ فَقِيرٌ إلَّا أَنَّهُ زَادَ عَلَيْهِ بِالِانْقِطَاعِ فِي عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَكَانَ مُغَايِرًا لِلْفَقِيرِ الْمُطْلَقِ الْخَالِي عَنْ هَذَا الْقَيْدِ. [ج ٢، ص ٣٤٣]

Muhammad Kalim Misbahi
Muhammad Kalim Misbahi

Muhammad Kalim, the founder of Fawatih, has pursued over a decade of traditional Islamic education, eventually specialising in Hanafi fiqh (jurisprudence).

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