Who can receive zakat: the eight categories
AmanaFi team · Updated · 1 min read
Zakat is not given to just anyone: the Quran, in verse 60 of Surah At-Tawbah, lists eight categories of recipients. Knowing them avoids choosing the wrong recipient.
The eight categories
According to the verse, zakat is meant for:
- the poor (fuqara);
- the needy (masakin);
- those who collect and manage it;
- those whose hearts are to be reconciled;
- freeing captives;
- debtors unable to repay;
- in the cause of God;
- the traveller in difficulty far from home.
Who it does not go to
Generally, you do not give your zakat to ascendants and descendants you support (parents, children), nor to your spouse. They are covered by family spending; zakat can go to other relatives in need.
Choosing well
Favour people or associations whose seriousness you know and ask for a receipt. Splitting among several recipients is possible. If in doubt about a particular case, ask a qualified person.
Frequently asked
Can zakat be given to a relative in need?
Yes, to relatives you do not support, such as a brother or sister in difficulty, who even get a double reward: the charity and the tie of kinship.
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