Q. Could you please explain to whom zakah should be paid, and how to distribute it among them?

K. Rehman

A. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked by some people to give them some zakah money, he said to them: “God has not left the distribution of zakah to be determined even by a prophet with a message or by an angel whose position is close to Him. He has ruled on it Himself, giving it to eight types of people. If you belong to any of them, I will give you; but if not, then you have no claim to any of it.” In saying so, the Prophet was referring to Verse 60 of Surah 9, which may be translated as follows: “Charitable donations are only for the poor and the needy, and those who work in the administration of such donations, and those whose hearts are to be won over, for the freeing of people in bondage and debtors, and to further God’s cause, and for the traveler in need. This is a duty ordained by God, and God is All-knowing, Wise.”This verse explains that zakah may be paid only to these people: The poor and the needy in order to improve their situation and let them have a comfortable standard of living; the zakah administrators so that the zakah institution should be self-financing; and those whose support we want to win for the Islamic cause.

This group could be newcomers to Islam, or non-Muslims who are sympathetic to Islam. Whether this group is to be paid from zakah or not depends on whether their support is needed or not, considering whether Islam is in a weak or strong position. In the case of these four groups, zakah is paid to them personally.

The other four groups are paid for a purpose, which means that we can ensure that the purpose is served, rather than the payment is paid to them directly. In the case of an insolvent debtor, you could give your zakah to his creditors in repayment of his debts. Similarly, for a traveler in need, we could buy him a train or plane ticket to take him home.

As for “furthering God’s cause”, any action which is deemed to achieve that could be supported with zakah funds, particularly jihad, pilgrimage by people who are short of funds, education of children or adults, etc.

Congregational Prayers

Q.1. Some people in my country say that only one congregational prayer should be held in the mosque for any obligatory prayer. Some shopkeepers offer the prayer in a congregation in their shops, without saying the athan. Meanwhile, the place used for the Eid prayer is used only for this purpose, with no further use for the rest of the year. Is all this correct?

Q.2. Is it permissible to drink while standing, or to keep the glass away from us?

S. Akhtar, Jeddah

A.2. Yes, both are permissible. If you are using a long straw to drink, you could keep the glass away from you.

A.1. Some scholars are in agreement with what you have mentioned, namely that one congregational prayer only could be offered in a particular mosque. However, this is the weaker view. Most scholars agree that it is perfectly permissible for any group of people to form a second or third congregation, or indeed any number, provided that none has deliberately intended not to join the first one. The Eid prayer is recommended to be offered at a public place outside the town or village, so that the whole population could join in. It could be offered in any park or square where a large number of people could gather.

Dispute Over an Apartment

Q. My mother, who is very old, is planning to move after finishing her waiting period following my father’s death to an apartment he bought at her request. He repeatedly referred to the apartment as being my mother’s, but he had to register it in my brother’s name for convenience. My brothers tell our mother that she does not have sufficient reason for moving into that apartment. May I ask whether she could do so, and whether the apartment is hers or part of my father’s inheritance?

(Name and address withheld)

A. It appears to me that the apartment belongs to your mother, as it was intended by your father. Otherwise, he would not have repeatedly referred to it as such. It seems as if he insisted on repeating that in order to make this fact clear to all concerned. If you are aware of the fact and you and your brothers and sisters try to make the apartment part of your father’s estate, then you are not only taking something that does not belong to you, which is forbidden, but you would also be undutiful to your parents. Besides, your mother’s property will come back to you all, in the same proportions, when she dies, unless any of you dies before her.

I do not understand your brothers’ objections to your mother’s intention to move into her apartment. It is her place that she owns in full. Your family home now belongs to all your father’s heirs, which means that she only has a one-eighth share of it. Each heir and those who benefit by his estate also have their shares in it. So, when your mother moves into a place which is completely hers, this is much more comfortable and convenient. The fact that in the same building lives a member of your family makes things even easier for her. To object to this arrangement requires your brothers and yourself to find a more convenient and suitable place for her. You have indicated that this has not proved possible for a variety of reasons. Well, you really have to take good care of your mother. If all of you cannot provide her with good and comfortable accommodation, where she is happy, you have no right to object to her staying in her own apartment. Indeed, you cannot object to that on any grounds.