Fatwa #145142 September 2006United States of America
is it permissable to give zakaah to madressahs in asia
Question
is it permissable to give zakaah to madressahs in asia
every year in ramadhan representatives from the asian subcontinent come to collect funds to run the madrassahs.most of the money collected is zakah.in the announcements the representatives talk about feeding and clothing the poor children as well as for building purposes.is it correct to give them donations.most of these are well known instituitions
Answer
Zakaat can be given to poor and needy Muslim students to pay their fees and fulfil their other needs. It is important that one exercises extreme caution in discharging Zakaat. Many people claim to be representatives of Madrasas and Institutes. The background of such people need to be investigated.
It is possible that some irresponsible people falsely claim to be representing institutes and mislead the public. Such irresponsible people could be a cause of embarrassment to Muslims due to their fraudulent actions. There should be a sound mechanism put in place by responsible people and organisations to ensure proper channeling of Zakaat funds to proper and reliable institutions.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai