What is the ruling on disbursing Zakat to the poor and needy among Jews and Christians?
The recipients of Zakat are restricted to eight categories as stated in the verse from Surat At-Tawbah: "Zakat expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [Zakat] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam]..." (At-Tawbah: 60). It is not permissible to give Zakat to a non-Muslim unless they are among those "whose hearts are to be reconciled [to Islam]," based on what Al-Bukhari, Muslim, and others narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "It is taken from their rich and given back to their poor." The pronoun "their" refers to Muslims. Ibn Al-Mundhir reported a consensus that it is not permissible to give Zakat to non-Muslims under the categories of the poor and the needy.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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