Is it permissible to give zakat to an orphaned nephew who possesses wealth and whose mother is employed, or to needy relatives such as an aunt whose husband is unemployed and whose son has an unstable income?

Orphanhood in itself is not a characteristic that permits taking from zakat (definition). Therefore, it is not permissible to give zakat to a nephew (sister's son) if he is wealthy due to money he owns or if he receives support from someone obligated to provide for him. Nor is it permissible to give it to an aunt (maternal) if her husband is capable of providing for her and she finds what suffices her basic needs. If the husband is unable to provide, then, according to some scholars, her maintenance is not obligatory upon her son or her father. Zakat is disbursed to the eight categories specified by Allah the Almighty.