Q: 166 – Title: Can we discharge Zakaat at a later time? What are the rewards of discharging Zakaat during Ramadhan?

Question

we are four brothers, we calculate our due zakat and fitrah  money in the month of Ramadan and we accumulate  it with  parents then our parents disperse that money to needy people time to time before next Ramadan.( the concept for this that in the month of Ramadan all eligible muslims paid their zakat to needy people but after the month of Ramadan very few people paid their zakat to needy people, so to lookafter  their needs after Ramadan we disperse  amount  according to their needs( marriage, funeral, medicine etc.) from that accumulated money.

My question is when will our zakat actually will paid off from our heads either in Ramadan  or when that money is received by that needy people. Do we get sawab 70 times more  or not.

Answer

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalamu 'alaykum wa Rahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

In principle, zakat should be discharged as soon as it becomes due on a person without delaying. However, there is scope to discharge the zakat later in time, if there there is some valid excuse i.e. if needy (zakat eligible) people are not found.

(Fatawa Shami, Vol.2, Pg.272, Saeed)

Zakat will only be paid off when the Masraf (the person whom zakat is given to)  gains possession of it. If the zakat is discharged in the month of Ramadhan,  then it will be rewarded 70 times more.

(Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband, Vol.6, Pg.100, Darul Isha’at)

And Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Wassalamu 'alaykum

Abdur Rahman Shareef,
Student, Darul Ifta

Checked and Approved by:

Mufti Ebrahim Desai