Resolutions of Iftaa' Board



Resolutions of Iftaa' Board

Resolution No.(225): "Ruling on the Zakat Fund`s Delaying the Payment of the Zakat Surplus till the Coming Year"

Date Added : 28-11-2016

Resolution No.(225) by the Board of Iftaa, Research and Islamic Studies:

"Ruling on the Zakat Fund`s Delaying the Payment of the Zakat Surplus till the Coming Year"

Date: 25/Sha`ban/1437 AH, corresponding to 1/6/2016 AD.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.
During its seventh session held on the above date, the Board reviewed the question received from the Zakat Fund`s Director-General, and  reads as follows: 
The Zakat Fund pays a total of (2,500,000) as monthly allowances to (3000) poor families from the Zakat money it receives. If these revenue are equal to what the Fund pays to the poor families, then there is no harm in that; but if they aren`t, then the surplus should be delayed to the following years so as for the Fund to cover those allowances. Does this contradict Sharia?
After deliberating, the Board decided the following:
In principle, Zakat must be paid immediately because it is an acknowledged right for the beggar and the deprived. This right is due by the end of each lunar year since it is forbidden to delay giving rights to whom they belong. Al-Khateeb Ash-Shirbini said: "Zakat must be paid immediately because its recipients are in need for it." {Moghni Al-Mohtajj}. If the availability of the Zakat money for the coming year is guaranteed, Insha`Allah, it is more prudent to divide the surplus amongst the recipients by adding it to their monthly allowances or to increase the number of recipients in order to help other poor and needy people to cover their expenses without delaying the payment of Zakat money.
However, if the Zakat Fund is certain that it can`t afford the allowances of the poor for the coming year, and decided that delaying the distribution of the surplus amongst them is in their best interest, then there is no harm in doing that, because scholars have permitted the administrator of the Zakat funds to delay paying them for a necessity, as stated by Sheikh Al-Islam Zakaria Al-Ansari: "It is permissible for the administrator of the Zakat funds, who is appointed by the ruler, to delay their distribution in order to receive more funds since he isn`t obliged to give each small sum that he receives". [Asna' Al-Matalib]. And Allah Knows Best.

Chairman of the Iftaa` Board, Sheikh Abdulkareem al-Khasawneh
Vice chairman, Prof. Ahmad Hilayel
Dr. Hayel Abdulhafeez/ Member
Sheikh Sa`ied Hijjawi/ Member
Prof. Abdlnasser Abulbasal/ Member
Prof. Abdullah Al-Fawaaz/ Member
Islamic Judge Khaled Woraikat/ Member
Dr. Mohammad Khair al-Eesa/ Member
Dr. Mohammad al-Zou`bi/ Member
Dr. Mohammad Al-Khalayleh/ Member

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is washing the private part after urinating (Istinjaa`) a condition, and is it done with water and soap, or with water only?

Istinjaa` is obligatory for removing impurity, and it can be done with toilet paper, or a stone, or water. It is preferable to do Istinjaa` first with paper, or stone, or the like, then to wash the private part with water until making sure that the impurity has been removed. Using soap is not a condition, but there is no harm in doing so provided that it is washed off with water. It is also permissible to use either water, or paper if impurity is removed by any.

If someone delays making up fasts for a year, can they give fidyah before performing qada?

Yes, it is permissible to give fidyah before making up the missed fasts (qada), because each is an independent obligation, and there is no required order between them. 

Is a wife considered divorced if her husband refused to go to bed with her (for sexual intercourse) for two months?

A wife doesn`t get divorced no matter for how long her husband refuses to have sex with her, and she had better go to court.

Is it obligatory to have the intention for each day of fasting, or is one intention sufficient for the whole month?

The intention is obligatory for each day of Ramadan because each day is an independent act of worship separate from the others.
The intention must be made at night before the break of dawn, as the Prophetﷺ said: "Whoever does not intend fasting at night, there is no fast for him." [An-Nasa’i] 
And he also said: "Whoever does not firmly resolve to fast before dawn, there is no fast for him." [At-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, and An-Nasa’i]
Whoever wakes up and eats Suhoor while mindful of fasting has made the intention. Likewise, one who firmly intends at any moment during the night to fast the next day has also fulfilled the intention.