Finding out that a Zakaat recipient is ineligible for Zakaat after giving Zakaat to them

Q. Mr Abdullah, who is eligible to receive Zakaat, sold his damaged vehicle for R30 000 cash. His intention for selling was to buy another reliable vehicle for himself a.s.a.p. with that same money. So he keeps this money aside for the vehicle. About 2 months later Mr Abdullah receives R2000 Zakaat from Mr Ismail. Then, a week later, Mr Abdullah finds a vehicle for himself for R30 000, and he buys it. Is the Zakaat discharged by Mr Ismail to Mr Abdullah valid?

A. Zakaat can only be given to a person who is not in possession of the threshold (Nisaab) of Zakaat. The threshold of Zakaat as of 26/06/2018 is R4598.82 in South Africa.

In the enquired case, the Zakaat of Mr Ismail to Mr Abdullah will be valid if Mr Ismail was unaware of Mr Abdullah having R30 000 in his possession at the time, after making the necessary endeavors to ascertain Mr Abdullahs’ Zakaat eligibility. However, if Mr Ismail did not make the necessary endeavors at the time to ascertain the same, the Zakaat of Mr Ismail to Mr Abdullah will not be invalid and Mr Ismail will have to discharged it to an eligible recipient of Zakaat. (Shaami 1/138)

Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Ismaeel Bassa

themufti.com