Is It Considered Zakat to Repay My Brother’s Loss on My Father’s Behalf?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
Can I assist my father in repaying my brother with the funds he unknowingly lost? Would this be considered Zakat, Sadaqa, or something else?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are in good faith and health. Thank you for your question.
Helping your father by repaying your brother is a commendable act. The classification of this assistance will simply be a form of family support and charity (sadaqa). See the link below.
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“The purest (of earnings) is what a man consumes from his own earnings, and his child is from his earnings.” [Tirmidhi; Abu Dawud; Ibn Majah]
It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:
“A wealthy son will be obligated to spend on his poor parents, whether they are Muslims or otherwise, and whether they are capable of earning themselves or otherwise.”
Please go through the valuable answers and links below. Insha’Allah, they will provide you with guidance and direction.
Related
- Fiqh of Financially Supporting One’s Parents and Relatives
- Lillah,Sadaqa and Zakat, any Difference?
- Zakat: A Comprehensive SeekersGuidance Reader
Why not begin your search for knowledge by signing up for a course on SeekersGuidance? You can choose from the Islamic Studies Curriculum or the Youth Islamic Studies Curriculum and progress through each course step by step.
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel has received a traditional education in various countries. He started his schooling in the UK and completed his hifz of the Quran in India. After that, he joined an Islamic seminary in the UK, where he studied secular and Aalimiyya sciences. Later, he traveled to Karachi, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern countries to further his education. Mawlana has served as an Imam in the Republic of Ireland for several years and taught the Quran and other Islamic sciences to both children and adults. He also worked as a teacher and librarian at a local Islamic seminary in the UK for 12 years. Presently, he lives in the UK with his wife and is interested in books and gardening.
