Is it permissible to direct Zakat funds, vows, or charitable donations towards treating patients in a general hospital, or for contributing to the construction and equipping of a hospital that treats Muslims and others, with the intention or condition of treating only Muslims, or to spend the money for another purpose?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
It is not permissible to spend funds on building hospitals because the legitimate recipients of zakat are specified in the Quran. However, it is permissible to give voluntary charity (sadaqat al-tatawwu') for building or equipping a hospital to treat Muslims and others, with the permissibility of intending that the treatment be for Muslims only. As for vows (), if a vow is made to a specific person or a known entity, it must be fulfilled for that person or entity. If it is not made to anyone specific, then it is permissible to spend it only on treating poor Muslims.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/82506
Where this answer came from
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 82506
- 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