Is it permissible to give zakat to a poor married sister whose husband is negligent in providing for her, knowing that he does not pray, and that if he is given the zakat, he may not spend it on her?

It is permissible to give zakat to a needy sister whose husband has refrained from spending on her or is unable to do so. It is also permissible for her not to inform him about the zakat if she fears that he will then stop providing for her. If her husband resumes spending, it is not permissible to give her zakat due to the cessation of need. As for the husband who does not pray, it is obligatory to advise him and remind him of the seriousness of abandoning prayer, and that some scholars consider one who abandons it to have left the fold of Islam. If he persists in abandoning prayer, then seeking a divorce might be best for her, especially given his negligence in providing for her.