Should zakat be paid for previous years of debt, or to settle the debts of people first, given that the available amount is not sufficient for both?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
The that became obligatory upon you is not waived by debts you incurred after its obligation. If the wealth is insufficient for both zakat and debt repayment, then zakat must be prioritized. The right of a human being is not given precedence over the right of Allah, unless the person is under legal interdiction. In that case, the right of the human being is prioritized, unless the zakat is tied to the asset itself, in which case it is always prioritized.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/58567
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 58567
- 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