Is it permissible to pay off an individual's debt from zakat money, and is it permissible to give zakat in a country other than the country of work (such as Egypt instead of a Gulf country where the zakat payer works)?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
You are not permitted to pay off your debt from your money because you have not spent it on its lawful recipients mentioned in verse 60 of Surat At-. As for your money on which Zakat is due, if it is from the "inward" assets (such as cash and trade goods), you must deduct your debts. If a (minimum taxable amount) remains, then Zakat is obligatory on it; otherwise, it is not. Regarding the transfer of Zakat from one country to another, there is a difference of opinion on this matter, and it is more prudent to distribute it in the country where it became obligatory.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/71152
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 71152
- 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