Is it permissible to give zakat to needy relatives in Syria, especially a widowed sister who supports her children, and an unemployed brother who supports his family, his mother, and his widowed sister, knowing that it is difficult to accurately verify the extent of their need? Is it sufficient to give only to the brother, or must the widowed sister also be given? And how can their needs be estimated for a full year without knowing their income?

It is sufficient for Zakat (definition) payment to have a strong presumption that the person is deserving, even if it later becomes apparent that they were not, as what matters is the outward appearance. Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen narrated the story of the man who gave charity to a rich person, a prostitute, and a thief, as proof that charity is accepted based on what appears to the one giving it. As for the amount to be paid, many scholars consider sufficient what would suffice them for a year, while some believe it should be enough for the common lifespan, and the matter is flexible. Zakat is paid to a woman for her needs, and to a man for his own needs and those he supports, but it is not to be paid to him for his sister's due.