Question:
As salami alaikum,
How are you in this month of full blessing, Ramadhan Karim?
I have a question, I hope you can help me find the correct answer. Can I use my zakat mal to help the ustadz, whom I assigned to take care of the small masjid, which also the class room for teaching young children to read and write Al Qur’an, so he can start the process of owning his dwelling place?
Thank you so much.
Salam
Answer:
Salam alaykum,
The categories of zakat eligibility are:
1. The poor (al-fuqarâ’).
2. The needy (al-masâkîn), meaning has difficulty meeting financial needs.
3. Zakat administrators.
4. Those whose hearts are to be reconciled, meaning new Muslims.
5. Those in bondage (slaves and captives).
6. The debt-ridden.
7. In the cause of God, meaning military expenditures.
8. The travellers.
Accordingly, the zakat cannot be used to help a Qur’an teacher since they do not fall into any of the above categories.
Wassalam.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
