Is it permissible to give the obligatory Zakat on money saved in the bank to a poor sister whose rich husband does not provide for her? And is it permissible to use the interest from bank money to pay phone and electricity bills?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
You may give your to your sister if she is in need and her husband is not providing her with sufficient maintenance. You are not required to inform her that what you are giving is zakat. As for placing your money in an interest-based (usurious) bank, it is forbidden by . You must withdraw your money from it and place it in an Islamic bank. The usurious interest earned is not permissible to be used for paying bills or anything else; rather, you must dispose of it by spending it on public utilities, while seeking Allah's forgiveness and repenting.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/71615
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 71615
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy