What is the ruling on spending zakat to support a Qur'an competition for a private school and to renovate the school's prayer room?
The disbursements of are specified in the verse: (Indeed, [prescribed] charitable donations are only for the poor and the needy, and those who work on [collecting] them, and those whose hearts are to be reconciled, and for [freeing] captives, and for those in debt, and for the cause of Allah, and for the wayfarer). The majority of scholars hold that "for the cause of Allah" refers to jihad, and therefore it is not permissible to build schools, mosques, or prayer rooms, or to fund Quranic competitions from zakat money. These projects can be funded through other means, such as (charity), waqf (endowment), and hiba (gift). Ibn Jibreen, the Permanent Committee, and Ibn Uthaymeen have issued fatwas prohibiting the expenditure of zakat on building general charitable projects, stating that it is restricted to its eight categories, and that "for the cause of Allah" is limited to ghazw (military expeditions).
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 14230
- 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