Is it permissible for a father to give the zakat from his wealth to his unemployed son who lives with him and on whom he spends for food and drink only, while the son provides for himself, his wife, and his child from savings? And is it permissible to give it to his divorced daughter who lives with him and on whom he spends for food and drink only, while the daughter provides for herself and her daughter from what people give her?

It is not permissible for a father to give his zakat to his children, male or female, if they are unable to provide for their basic needs, because their maintenance is obligatory upon him. Ibn Qudamah stated that there is a consensus among scholars that zakat should not be given to parents or children if their maintenance is obligatory upon the muzakki (the one paying zakat). However, if the father is unable to support them, it is permissible for him to give zakat to them. This is the view of many scholars and was preferred by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. The same ruling applies to the grandchildren through the son. As for the granddaughter through the daughter, her maintenance is obligatory upon her father. If her father is unable to support her, her maintenance becomes obligatory upon her maternal grandfather (the muzakki), and in this case, it is not permissible for him to give her zakat, unless he is unable to provide for her maintenance.