Zakat Recipients

Yes, you may give Zakat to eligible family members, such as siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, or other relatives, as long as they meet the conditions of Zakat recipients—meaning they are poor or needy and do not possess wealth above the nisab threshold. In fact, giving Zakat to close family members who are eligible is encouraged, as it fulfils both a religious duty and strengthens family ties. However, you cannot give Zakat to those whom you are legally responsible for supporting, such as your parents, grandparents, children, or spouse.

Providing for them is already your obligation, and Zakat cannot be used to discharge that duty. For example, you may not give Zakat to your dependent son, but you could give it to a struggling sister who is not under your care. Before giving Zakat to family, ensure the recipient is genuinely eligible and not simply someone going through temporary financial strain with sufficient assets to cover their needs.

If in doubt, it’s better to consult a scholar or your local imam. At Global Helping Hands, we direct Zakat only to those who fully qualify, including vulnerable families and refugees in countries like Pakistan, Syrian Refugees, and Lebanon. We take this responsibility seriously to ensure your Zakat reaches those who truly need it.

Zakat may be given to orphans or children only if they are poor or needy. Being an orphan alone does not automatically qualify someone to receive Zakat.

The eligibility still depends on the child's financial situation—specifically whether they own wealth above the nisab or have access to regular financial support. If an orphan has no stable source of income, lacks essential resources, or lives in poverty, then they fall within the category of the poor or needy and can receive Zakat. In such cases, Zakat is given to their guardian or caregiver on their behalf.

It is the guardian’s duty to use those funds exclusively for the child's welfare—covering basic needs like food, clothing, education, and shelter. Zakat cannot be given to institutions housing orphans unless the funds are directly used for individual orphans’ benefit and not for general overhead or construction. At Global Helping Hands, we assess each case carefully.

Our orphan sponsorship programme operates in full compliance with Islamic guidelines. Zakat is distributed in cash directly to the families or caregivers of orphans who qualify, ensuring that your Zakat goes where it’s meant to—supporting children who live in real hardship in places like Uganda, Syrian Refugees, and Gaza.

Students can receive Zakat if they are poor or needy and lack the financial means to support their studies or meet their basic needs.

The key condition is that they do not own wealth above the nisab threshold and are genuinely struggling. Zakat can be given to help cover tuition fees, living costs, books, and other educational needs—but only if the student qualifies under one of the eight categories mentioned in Surah At-Tawbah. This includes students from low-income backgrounds, refugees, or those who have no family support. Zakat should not be given to students from wealthy families or those with assets exceeding the nisab, even if they temporarily face hardship.

Many scholars advise prioritising students who are studying beneficial knowledge—such as Islamic sciences or medicine—particularly if their education will serve the community. However, this is not a requirement for eligibility.

Zakat cannot be given directly to educational institutions for general funding unless it's disbursed on behalf of specific eligible students. At Global Helping Hands, we help qualifying students in areas like Syrian Refugees, Pakistan, and Lebanon by providing direct financial support through Zakat funds. This ensures transparency, accountability, and full compliance with Islamic principles.

Yes, Zakat can be used for essential medical treatment of poor or needy individuals who cannot afford healthcare.

This includes surgeries, medication, emergency care, childbirth, or ongoing treatments like dialysis or cancer care. The recipient must meet the criteria for Zakat—they must lack sufficient wealth or access to resources, fall below the nisab, and be unable to afford the treatment themselves. If these conditions are met, Zakat can be used to pay for hospital bills, medicine, or specialist care.

However, it must be ensured that the funds go directly towards eligible individuals, not to healthcare providers or hospitals as general support. Zakat cannot be used to build hospitals or fund infrastructure unless the payment is made specifically on behalf of poor individuals. In many regions where healthcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, medical Zakat can literally save lives.

At Global Helping Hands, we receive urgent requests for medical Zakat—especially from refugee families, single mothers, and children in conflict zones. We make sure the Zakat is given in cash directly to the patient or used transparently to cover specific medical expenses. This process maintains full Shariah compliance while bringing life-saving care to those most in need.

Zakat cannot be given to non-Muslims. It is a religious obligation specifically intended to support eligible Muslims in need.

According to consensus among scholars and all major schools of thought, the primary condition for receiving Zakat is that the recipient must be a Muslim. This rule is based on the understanding that Zakat is a form of worship (‘ibadah), and like prayer or fasting, it is part of a Muslim’s relationship with Allah.

The only exception mentioned in classical texts is for the category of “those whose hearts are to be reconciled”—new Muslims or individuals close to accepting Islam—if giving them Zakat helps draw them closer to Islam or protects the Muslim community. However, even this exception applies to individuals within the broader Muslim framework and is not a general rule for giving Zakat to non-Muslims.
That said, you may support non-Muslims using Sadaqah, general charity, or other voluntary donations. At Global Helping Hands, we follow the Sunnah strictly. All Zakat we receive is given directly to eligible Muslims, in cash, across our operating countries. For non-Muslim beneficiaries, we use separate Sadaqah funds to support them ethically and compassionately without compromising the Zakat obligation.

Yes, you can send your Zakat to another country if there is a greater need or hardship in that region. While some scholars encourage giving Zakat locally, all agree that it is permissible—and sometimes even preferable—to send it abroad when people in another area are more in need.

The priority is to fulfil the core purpose of Zakat: supporting those who are poor, hungry, displaced, or without basic necessities. In many cases, Zakat given locally might benefit someone with a safety net, while Zakat sent abroad might be the only lifeline for a family in war or famine.

Global Helping Hands operates in over 20 countries, focusing on crisis zones and severely under-resourced communities. We distribute Zakat in cash, so it reaches people in real-time and in a form they can use. Whether it’s families in Gaza under siege, flood victims in Pakistan, or orphaned children in Uganda, we ensure your Zakat reaches those who need it most—quickly, transparently, and in full.

Several groups of people are not allowed to receive Zakat, even if they appear to be in need. First, Zakat cannot be given to non-Muslims, as it's a specific obligation for the Muslim ummah. Second, you cannot give Zakat to your immediate dependents—this includes your parents, grandparents, children, and spouse—because you're already responsible for their maintenance.

Zakat also cannot be given to people who are wealthy or financially independent, meaning they possess wealth above the nisab. Even if they experience temporary hardship, if their overall assets are sufficient to cover their needs, they don’t qualify.
Zakat cannot be used to fund the construction of buildings, mosques, or public infrastructure unless the spending is directly for individual eligible recipients. Also, Zakat must go to living people—you cannot donate Zakat in the name of someone who has passed away.

Finally, Zakat collectors and administrators cannot receive Zakat unless they are formally appointed and their compensation is part of the agreed share.
At Global Helping Hands, we follow these rulings precisely. Every recipient undergoes a needs-based assessment to ensure they are genuinely eligible. This guarantees that your Zakat is accepted by Allah and reaches those who qualify.

No, Zakat does not only apply during Ramadan. It is due once your wealth has remained above the nisab threshold for a full lunar year (354 days). Your Zakat due date is based on when your wealth first exceeded the nisab—not the Islamic calendar month.

That said, many Muslims choose to give Zakat in Ramadan because it’s a month of immense reward. Giving in Ramadan doesn’t change the obligation—it just aligns the payment with a spiritually significant time.

If your Zakat anniversary falls outside Ramadan, you should still pay it then. Delaying payment to wait for Ramadan is not recommended if Zakat is already due.

However, if your due date is close, and delaying a few days will align with Ramadan, some scholars permit it. But this should not lead to consistent delays each year.

At Global Helping Hands, we receive a large portion of Zakat during Ramadan and ensure fast distribution to the needy. But we also encourage year-round giving. Poverty and crisis don’t wait for Ramadan—neither should Zakat.

No, Zakat cannot be used to build, repair, or maintain mosques or religious institutions. This is a widely agreed-upon position in all major Islamic schools of thought. The recipients of Zakat must be individuals from among the eight eligible categories described in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60), and not physical structures or institutions.

Even though mosques serve the community, they do not qualify as Zakat recipients unless Zakat is specifically paid on behalf of a poor individual for a direct benefit (e.g. providing a needy student with tuition at a madrasa). In such cases, Zakat is not supporting the institution but the individual.

Building mosques or Islamic centres should be funded through Sadaqah Jariyah or general donations, not Zakat. Using Zakat for mosques violates the condition that Zakat must directly benefit the poor, not indirectly support communal infrastructure.

At Global Helping Hands, we make a clear distinction between Zakat and other types of charity. While we do fund mosque and madrasa construction through Sadaqah, your Zakat will never be used for that purpose. Instead, it’s given in cash to eligible families, the poor, widows, and orphans—ensuring full compliance with Islamic law.

Zakat cannot be used for general community development projects, infrastructure, or public services like roads, water systems, or schools unless it directly benefits and is allocated to eligible individuals.

Islamic law requires that Zakat be transferred into the ownership of specific people from the eight categories mentioned in the Qur’an. Community projects, even if well-intentioned, often benefit a broad population that includes both the rich and the poor, which makes them ineligible to receive Zakat funding.

However, if Zakat is used to provide direct aid—like building a home for a poor family, paying rent for a widow, or covering school fees for an orphan—then it may be permitted. The key condition is ownership and eligibility.
Zakat cannot be used to build public facilities like clinics, schools, or shelters unless the funds are used to assist specific individuals who are known to be Zakat-eligible.

At Global Helping Hands, we avoid using Zakat for infrastructure and instead use Sadaqah or Waqf for such projects. Zakat is reserved strictly for individual recipients, delivered in cash, ensuring your donation follows the Sunnah and fulfils the rights of those most in need.

Muslims today are just as responsible for paying Zakat as the first generation of believers. Zakat is not limited by time, place, or context—it is a universal obligation on all eligible Muslims until the end of time.

The world today continues to face massive inequality, poverty, and displacement. Millions of Muslims struggle with food insecurity, housing, healthcare, and education. Zakat remains a divine solution to these problems. It is not outdated—it’s essential.

While the economy and technology have changed, the principles of Zakat remain the same. Modern forms of wealth like crypto, online businesses, or pensions are still subject to the same Islamic ethics of redistribution.

Paying Zakat today also revives the spirit of accountability. It makes Muslims aware of their financial impact and connects them to the ummah. It’s not just a financial act—it’s a sign of faith, a fulfilment of Allah’s command, and a protection for one’s wealth.

At Global Helping Hands, we make it easy for modern Muslims to fulfil this timeless duty. We distribute your Zakat in cash, under a 100% donation policy, and directly to those eligible—in over 20 countries around the world.