Fatwaa.net - Fatawa | A wealthy person comes to a shop owner in the neighborhood where he lives and pays off the debts of all the poor in his neighborhood 'while knowing their poverty', intending to do this from his zakat without informing them, but the shop owner, 'who is trustworthy', informs them that someone has paid off their debts. What is the legal ruling?

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27 / 04 / 2026

Zakat of Wealth in Paying Off the Debts of the Poor

Question

A wealthy person comes to a shop owner in the neighborhood where he lives and pays off the debts of all the poor in his neighborhood 'while knowing their poverty', intending to do this from his zakat without informing them, but the shop owner, 'who is trustworthy', informs them that someone has paid off their debts. What is the legal ruling?

Answer

I say, and with God's guidance: The condition for the validity of zakat in paying off a debt is the consent of the creditor. He can pay the debts to the shop owner, but if one of the debtors does not agree, he informs the wealthy person so that he can pay the debt on behalf of the other or return the money to the wealthy person. Thus, the shop owner initially acts as an agent for this task, and God knows best.

Zakat of Wealth in Paying Off the Debts of the Poor

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