Is it permissible to give Zakat by paying the rent of a needy person's house, or by buying books for a student of knowledge, or by buying clothes for someone who cannot afford them, instead of giving it as money?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
A person who is unable to pay house rent is considered poor, and it is permissible to give him from what suffices for it. The amount must be given into his possession for him to dispose of it. It is not sufficient to pay Zakat in the form of in-kind items, unless there is an overriding benefit in purchasing those items.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/177083
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 177083
- 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