Is It Permissible for a Debtor to Take Zakat to Pay His Debt?
هل يجوز للمدين أن يأخذ الزكاة لقضاء دينه؟
Is it permissible for a debtor to take zakat to pay his debt?
The answer distinguishes two cases: a debtor whose debt is due and who has no money beyond his needs to pay it is one of the gharimin and may take zakat; a debtor whose debt is deferred and who will have the money when it falls due may not.
The proper distribution of Zakat is strictly defined in the Quran, ensuring that funds reach those in genuine and immediate financial distress.
Conditions for Paying Debts with Zakat
1. Immediate Debt (Due Now)
If the debt is immediate and he has no excess money to pay his debt, then he is considered from the ones in debt (Al Gharimin).
2. Deferred Debt (Due Later)
But if the debt is deferred, and when the debt has matured and he has the money to pay back his debt, then it is not permissible to take Zakat.
هل يجوز للمدين أن يأخذ الزكاة لقضاء دينه؟
يفرق الجواب بين حالين: المدين الذي حل دينه وليس عنده مال زائد عن حاجته يقضيه به، فهو من الغارمين ويجوز له أخذ الزكاة؛ والمدين الذي دينه مؤجل ويجد ما يسدده به عند حلوله، فلا يجوز له أخذها.
يخضع توزيع الزكاة لضوابط صارمة في القرآن الكريم، لضمان وصول الأموال لمن هم في ضائقة مالية حقيقية وفورية.
شروط سداد الدين من الزكاة
1. الدين الحال (مستحق الأداء)
إذا كان الدين حالا وليس عنده مال زائد عن حاجته يقضي به دينه فهو من الغارمين.
2. الدين المؤجل
أما إذا كان الدين مؤجلا، وحينما يحل الدين يجد ما يسدد به الدين فلا يجوز أن يأخذ من الزكاة.
1. Debtors Among the Eight Categories | الغارمون من مصارف الزكاة
At-Tawbah 9:60 names debtors (al-gharimun) among the eight categories of zakat recipients. Ibn Qudamah defines them as debtors unable to pay their debts and states that there is no disagreement about their right to a share (al-Mughni). The Prophet told Qabisah ibn Mukhariq that asking is allowed for a man who took on a burden of debt until he obtains it, and for a man whose wealth was wiped out by a calamity until he obtains enough to live on (Sahih Muslim 1044).
إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقَاتُ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَالْعَامِلِينَ عَلَيْهَا وَالْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَالْغَارِمِينَ وَفِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ (سورة التوبة: 60)
عد الله تعالى الغارمين من مصارف الزكاة الثمانية (التوبة 9:60). وعرفهم ابن قدامة بأنهم "المدينون العاجزون عن وفاء ديونهم"، وذكر أنه لا خلاف في استحقاقهم (المغني). وقال النبي ﷺ لقبيصة بن مخارق إن المسألة تحل لرجل تحمل حمالة حتى يصيبها ثم يمسك، ولرجل أصابته جائحة اجتاحت ماله حتى يصيب قواما من عيش (صحيح مسلم 1044).
2. Deferred Debts | الدين المؤجل
This answer does not permit taking zakat for a deferred debt that the debtor will be able to pay when it falls due. Al-Nawawi records three views on deferred debts in his school and names as the soundest that such a debtor is not given zakat, because he does not need it now; a second view gives it to him, and a third gives it if the debt falls due within that year (al-Majmu).
وَإِن كَانَ ذُو عُسْرَةٍ فَنَظِرَةٌ إِلَىٰ مَيْسَرَةٍ (سورة البقرة: 280)
لا يجيز الجواب أخذ الزكاة لدين مؤجل يستطيع المدين قضاءه عند حلوله. وذكر النووي في المجموع ثلاثة أوجه في الدين المؤجل، أصحها أنه لا يعطى لأنه غير محتاج إليه الآن، والثاني أنه يعطى، والثالث أنه يعطى إن كان الأجل يحل تلك السنة.
3. Debts Incurred in Sin | الدين في المعصية
Ibn Qudamah states that a person who fell into debt through sin is not given zakat before he repents, since it may help him in the sin; after repentance there are two views, and Ibn Muflih names giving him as the sounder (al-Kafi). Allah commands believers to cooperate in righteousness and piety and not in sin and aggression (Al-Ma'idah 5:2).
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ (سورة المائدة: 2)
قال ابن قدامة في الكافي: "وإن غرم في معصية لم يدفع إليه قبل التوبة؛ لأنه لا يؤمن أن يستعين بها في المعصية"، وذكر في إعطائه بعد التوبة وجهين، وصحح ابن مفلح أنه يدفع إليه إذا تاب. وقد أمر الله تعالى بالتعاون على البر والتقوى ونهى عن التعاون على الإثم والعدوان (المائدة 5:2).
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Who are considered al-gharimin in Islam?
They are debtors who are unable to pay their debts, one of the eight categories of zakat recipients (At-Tawbah 9:60). Ibn Qudamah reports that there is no disagreement about their right to a share.
Can I take zakat to pay off a long term debt if I can afford the monthly payments?
No. If the debt is deferred, like a long term payment plan, and you will have the income to make the payments when they are due, you are not eligible to receive zakat for it.
What if the debt was taken for an unlawful purpose?
Ibn Qudamah states that such a debtor is not given zakat before he repents, since it may help him in the sin; after repentance there are two views, and Ibn Muflih names giving him as the sounder.
When is a debtor entitled to zakat?
According to the answer, when his debt is due and he has no money beyond his needs with which to pay it. If the debt is deferred and he will be able to pay it when it falls due, he may not take zakat.