Dhimmi Watch points to IslamOnline’s Live Fatwa page, and questions about aid to tsunami victims;
Question Can we give those afflicted people a portion of our zakah money even if they are non-Muslims? How about giving them charity?
Answer In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Thank you. The receivers of Zakah money are clearly mentioned in the Qur’an. Among them, the poor and needy people. Looking at the situation of those people who are afflicted, one can conclude that the Muslims among them fall under the category of needy people.
In this regard, those Muslims deserve to receive a portion of Zakah. As for non-Muslims, they might deserve donation or any other form of assistance but not Zakah.
Thus, Zakah should be given to poor and needy Muslims. Some non-Muslims may receive a portion of Zakah if there is hope that by giving them Zakah that might lead to their conversion into Islam. They would be then considered under the category of mu’allafati qulubuhun or those whose hearts are inclined to accept Islam.
Hat tip – Kathy Shaidle
Oh man – As a Muslim, I’m a little sickened by IslamOnline’s reply, or perhaps the tone of it
I don’t tend to surf Islamic websites as a rule (they’ve always struck me as too evangelical than the average Muslim community). I did poke around after seeing your post, Kate, and was a bit relieved to find this article and the associated comments:
http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=DS0412-2567
Also, the exact text from the Koran is: “Charity is [meant] only for the poor, the needy, those working at [collecting and distributing] it, those [possible converts] whose hearts are being reconciled [to yours], for freeing captives and debtors, and in [striving along] God’s way, and for the wayfarer, as a duty imposed by God. God is Aware, Wise.”
My interpretation of that is pretty clear, “poor and needy” is “poor and needy”
On a related note, the verse above this one is this: “* Some of them criticize you concerning the [distribution of] charity. If they are given some of it, they are pleased, while if they are not given any, why they act resentful. * If they had only been pleased with what God and His messenger have given them, and said: ‘God is our Reckoning. God and His messenger will give us something out of His bounty. We are beseeching fit] from God.”
Sounds a bit like the UN! 🙂
Anyways, not trying to apologize for anyone, I just figured I’d add another perspective.
No one asked for an apology, Roddie, because you have nothing to apologize for. Thanks for the contribution.
is zakah the same as charity? i don’t think it is.
Zakah or zakat is the portion of wealth that a Muslim is supposed to give to charity. It’s obligatory. The fatwa seems to use the word “charity” to mean “optional charity” – that is, it is religiously commanded to help Muslims but not to help non-Muslims, and the latter is permissible but not part of the zakat obligation.