Fatwa #1426024 May 2006Saudi Arabia
Who is the actual owner of the money. Should I keep this money aside and when the girls become adult, I can give them
Question
- I am living in Saudi Arabia. My daughters aged 10.5 and 9 are going to Govt Tahfeez-ul-Quran school. Govt pays some amount to each student. I don't know what is the actual purpose of it. I think it is just to motivate to register in Tahfeez schools. Who is the actual owner of the money. Should I keep this money aside and when the girls become adult, I can give them. I have to pay Zakat now. Should I include this money to calculate Zakat.
- I don't know exactly, When I became Sahib Nisab. I calculated the month in English and converted to Hijri year, so it come somewhere 9th of Rabi-ul-Awaal. Now, the question is should I hold tight to this date or I should hold tight to the month itself. I have not calculated Zakat yet. Should I include my salary, which I received on 11th Rabi-ul-Awaal for calculation.
Answer
The monies were voluntarily given to your daughters by the government and they therefore become the rightful owners thereof. These monies should be kept aside for them. However, if you as a parent are unable to meet basic expenses related to your daughters, then you may spend on them from these monies. If your daughters are not mature, then Zakaat is not compulsory on their money. However, if they are mature and their monies individually exceed the Nisaab value, then Zakaat should be paid from their money. Monies belonging to your daughters should not be added to your wealth for Zakaat purposes. (Fataawa Rahimiyyah vol.7 pg.144)
Since you have calculated that you became a possessor of Nisaab on 9 Rabi-ul-Awwal, you should hold onto this date for Zakaat calculation purposes. Only wealth that you held on the 9 Rabi-ul-Awwal should be included in your Zakaat calculation.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai