Giving poor disbelievers money from the obligatory Zakāt


Question:

Is it permissible to give a disbeliever money from the obligatory Zakāt, if he was of the eight categories?

Answer:

It is permissible to give the poor non combatant disbelievers voluntary charity, Allah, the Most High, said:

(لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ)

“Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.”
[Al-Mumtahinah:8]

And it is not permissible to give them the obligatory Zakāt, it does not suffice who may have done so and it is still requested from him to fulfill this.

What has come in the two “Sahīhs” points to this, that the Prophet ﷺ, when sending Mu’ādh to Yemen, said to him:

“Teach them that Allah has made it obligatory for them to pay the Zakat from their property and it is to be taken from the wealthy among them and given to the poor.”

And Ibn Al-Mundhir & Ibn Qudāmah have relayed a consensus in this affair, except there are those that opposed this, but their position is weak.

And an exception is made in what has come in the statement of the Most High:

(وَٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُم)

“and for to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam)”
[At-Tawba:60]

So [it is permissible to give to the (َٱلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُم) from the zakaat by the Quranic verse, and they are:
The heads and leaders who are followed by their people.

If by doing so it is thought that they will become Muslim or to strengthen their Emaan if they were already Muslim, or to ward of their evil, or that their likes will become Muslim.]

[End of speech]

Answered by:
Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allaah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/210

Answered on:
7th, Rabee’ Al-Aakhar, 1438H.

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani