Question
Does a person who pays Zakat al-Fitr on behalf of someone else need to inform them, or is it permissible to pay on behalf of others without informing them? And is it necessary for each person, including children, to have the intention for Zakat al-Fitr?
Answer
I say, and with God's help: It is necessary for the permission from the one being paid for to be explicit or implied: like a father for his wife and adult children, as he is implicitly authorized by custom in this regard, and the intention should come from the payer, like a father for his young son, and God knows best.