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“Do ICNA activities qualify for Zakaah?”

Youth, Sisters Programs, Social Services, Da’wah, Education, Organization, Community, IT, Publications, Social Justice, Relief work etc.

Do activities of ICNA qualify for Zakaah? This question has been asked by many over the years whether ICNA or other similar organizations can be recipient of Zakaah.

There have been lots of discussion on this issue and stemming out of those discussions are several other issues that ought to be addressed.

First off, the purpose of Zakaah

The origin of Zakaah is for the poor and needy as Allah SWT. Also the Hadith of Muadh bin Jabal (RA) when Rasoolullah SAS sent him to Yemen, he said to him:

If they accept that, then teach them that Allah as obligated charity to be taken from the rich and given to the poor.
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim )

Please note that ICNA does collect and distribute Zakaah to the poor and needy, through several of its departments and chapters such as Helping Hand for Relief and Development and ICNA Relief. So, by consensus they can receive and distribute Zakaah and pay for the process doing so based on the verse. 

Secondly, Zakaah for Da’wah purposes

While the origin of Zakaah is for the poor and needy it is not confined to them alone and the Shari’ah has granted permission to spend Zakaah on categories that are not necessarily poor such as: Similarly, for Da’wah programs and New Muslim programs that are carried out by ICNA via entities such as GainPeace and WhyIsalm, this too becomes a means of receiving Zakaah.

Thirdly, the issue of “Fi Sabeelillah”

There has been no difference amongst scholars that the category of ) في ليبسالله )includes those who are engaged in warfare (Qitaal) and what it takes in terms of preparation. However, in situations where there is no Qitaal, there is a difference of opinion amongst scholars with regards to meaning of (اللهفي ليبس ). Then how wide can: “Fi Sabeelillah” go?

There are two main schools of interpretation on this matter:

First is that it is restricted only to Qitaal and this is the opinion of many of the early scholars including the Four Schools of Fiqh.