Zakaah For Islamic Education
QUESTION:
Is it permissible to use Zakaah funds to cover the Islamic studies and educational expenses of a student, on condition that upon completing their studies, the student provides services to the organization or the individual who funded their education? Furthermore, can such an arrangement be established through a binding contractual agreement between the two parties?
ANSWER:
In principle, it is necessary to give Zakaah into the ownership of a valid recipient of Zakaah. It is not allowed to merely spend Zakaah on valid recipients of Zakaah, nor spend it on their behalf. The recipient must become the owner of the Zakaah and have the option to spend the money received as he/she wishes.Therefore, Zakaah cannot be given directly to the institution to spend on the poor and needy. However, if the poor student appoints the manager for example, of institution to collect Zakaah on their behalf and pay for the fees, then the institution will act as the representative of the person in collecting the Zakaah and pay the fees.
This procedure has to be done correctly in order to ensure that Zakaah is correctly discharged. It is, therefore, best to consult with a competent Mufti, Aalim or Islamic Organization in deciding such matters.
For Zakaah to be validly discharged , the recipient must be given absolute, unconditional ownership of the funds, hence, funding a student’s education via Zakaah on the condition that they must work for the organization upon completing their studies is not permissible
( هي تمليك المال من فقير مسلم غيرها هاشمي ولا مولاه بشرط قطع المنفعة عن المملك كل وجه لله تعالى ) لقوله تعالى وآتوا الزكاة البقرة 43 والإيتاء هو التمليك ومراده تمليك جزء من ماله وهو ربع العشر أو ما يقوم مقامه
(البحر الرائق، كتاب الزكاة: 2/216؛ المعرفة)
فصل وأما ركن الزكاة فركن الزكاة هو إخراج جزء من النصاب إلى الله تعالى وتسليم ذلك إليه يقطع المالك يده عنه بتمليكه من الفقير وتسليمه إليه أو إلى يد من هو نائب عنه وهو المصدق والملك للفقير يثبت من الله تعالى وصاحب المال نائب عن الله تعالى في التمليك والتسليم إلى الفقير
(بدائع الصنائع، كتاب الزكاة، فصل ركن الزكاة: 2/39؛ العربي)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Ahmed Saeed
Date: 24 Rabi-ul-Aakhir 1448 / 07 October 2026
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb