Is Zakat obligatory upon a merchant brother who lost his money and entered a cycle of debt due to a failed import deal, knowing that he owns a shared house and a productive agricultural land that has not yet yielded? And if it is obligatory, would the Zakat be substantial?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
If your indebted brother is unable to repay his debt, and he does not possess anything beyond his basic needs with which to settle it, then he is eligible for , and giving it to him is more deserving than giving it to others. However, if he is able to repay the debt, even if by selling possessions that exceed his basic needs, then he is not eligible for zakat. And if he is eligible, give him according to his need, even if that constitutes the majority of the zakat.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/167936
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 167936
- 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