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Can I Pay My Parent’s Expiatory Charity (Fidya)?


Hanafi Fiqh

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

How should one go about paying the expiatory charity (fidya) for one’s sickly parent who is unable to fast?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate

It is permissible for a child (or any Muslim) to pay the expiatory charity (fidya) on behalf of another, regardless of gender. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]

Where Should One Pay the Fidya?

The basis for expiatory charities is that the charity is given in one’s locality and not transferred elsewhere. It is considered disliked to transfer the charity elsewhere. [Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab] 

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) instructed Mu’adh bin Jabal saying, “…And inform them that Allah has made charity obligatory on their wealth. It is taken from their rich and returned to their poor.” [Bukhari]

Although specifically regarding zakat, this narration indicates that charity is returned to the people of that locality.  [Maydani, al-Lubab fi Sharh al-Kitab]

When Should Charity Be Transferred Elsewhere?  

However, some circumstances permit transferring the charity outside one’s locality. It may even be recommended to due to so in some particular situations. Consider the following circumstances: 

1) If the Muslims of another locality or country are in more need than those of one’s locality.

2) One has needy Muslim relatives in another country. Note that this is not only permitted but preferred due to the importance of family ties.

3) If by transferring the charity, it will be used in a manner that produces more benefit for the religion and the Muslim. An example of this is giving charity to scholars or students of sacred Islamic knowledge.

In light of this third category, consider supporting the SeekersGuidance Islamic Scholars Fund, where needy scholars and students of sacred knowledge are supported, thus freeing them up to serve the religion.

Hope this helps

Allah knows best

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

 

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

 

1395 – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، عَنْ زَكَرِيَّاءَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ صَيْفِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِي مَعْبَدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعَثَ مُعَاذًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ إِلَى اليَمَنِ، فَقَالَ: «§ادْعُهُمْ إِلَى شَهَادَةِ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَأَنِّي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلِكَ، فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَدِ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَمْسَ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَلَيْلَةٍ، فَإِنْ هُمْ أَطَاعُوا لِذَلِكَ، فَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَدَقَةً فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ تُؤْخَذُ مِنْ أَغْنِيَائِهِمْ وَتُرَدُّ عَلَى فُقَرَائِهِمْ»

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ص104 – صحيح البخاري – باب وجوب الزكاة

 

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he then completed four years at the Darul Uloom seminary in New York, where he studied Arabic and the traditional sciences. He then traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he stayed for three years studying in Dar Al-Mustafa under some of the greatest scholars of our time, including Habib Umar Bin Hafiz, Habib Kadhim al-Saqqaf, and Shaykh Umar al-Khatib. In Tarim, Shaykh Yusuf completed the memorization of the Qur’an and studied beliefs, legal methodology, hadith methodology, Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic history, and several texts on spirituality. He joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.