Who is eligible for zakat: the eight categories explained

The verse that sets the list

Surah At-Tawbah, verse 60, names the recipients of zakat directly. The verse is unusual in Islamic law for being so specific about where money must go, and that specificity is deliberate. Zakat is a right owed by the wealthy to the poor, not a discretionary donation, so the destination is fixed rather than left to preference.

Because the list is fixed, an otherwise excellent cause can still be the wrong home for zakat. A hospital wing, a mosque roof or a school building may be desperately needed, yet the majority position among scholars is that zakat cannot pay for them, because nobody takes personal ownership of the money. Sadaqah covers those needs instead.

1 and 2: the poor and the needy

These two categories, al-fuqara and al-masakin, account for the overwhelming majority of zakat spending worldwide. The distinction between them is one of degree. The poor have little or nothing. The needy have some income but not enough to cover basic living costs such as food, shelter, clothing and medicine.

In practice charities assess both against a local standard, since the cost of covering basic needs varies enormously by country. A household earning a small daily wage may be comfortable in one place and destitute in another. Honest assessment on the ground matters more than a single global figure.

This is the category that funds emergency food, cash grants to widows and orphan households, winter supplies and medical costs for families who cannot pay.

3: those employed to administer zakat

Zakat may pay the wages of people directly employed to collect, record and distribute it. This is a narrow allowance, not a general licence to fund a charity's overheads. It covers the collector, the verifier and the distribution officer, not the marketing team or the office rent.

UNH keeps zakat separate from running costs entirely. Our administration is funded from Sadaqah, so the zakat you give is passed on in full to eligible recipients.

4: those whose hearts are to be reconciled

This category, al-muallafati qulubuhum, historically covered new Muslims needing support after losing family backing, and those whose goodwill protected the community. It is applied narrowly today and accounts for a very small share of zakat spending.

Where it is used, it typically supports reverts who have been cut off financially by their families and need help establishing themselves.

5: freeing those in bondage

The classical application was purchasing the freedom of slaves. Contemporary scholars extend the principle to people held in bonded labour, trafficked workers and, in some rulings, prisoners held over unpayable debts or fines.

The common thread is using zakat to buy someone out of a situation they cannot escape by their own means.

6: those burdened by debt

Al-gharimun are people who have taken on debt they genuinely cannot repay, provided the debt was not incurred through extravagance or disobedience. Medical bills, funeral costs, business collapse and rent arrears are the situations most commonly supported.

Zakat can clear the debt directly or be given to the debtor to settle it. Some scholars also permit paying off a debt on behalf of someone who has died, where the estate cannot cover it.

Debt relief is one of the most immediately transformative uses of zakat, because it restores a household's ability to function rather than covering a single month's shortfall.

7 and 8: in the path of Allah, and the stranded traveller

Fi sabilillah is the broadest category and the most debated. Narrower readings limit it to defensive struggle. Broader readings include work that serves the community's welfare, such as education and relief programmes. Reputable charities state clearly which interpretation they follow.

Ibn as-sabil, the traveller cut off from their wealth, applies to anyone stranded away from home without access to their own money. In modern terms that includes refugees, displaced families and migrants who may own property back home but cannot reach a penny of it.

Who cannot receive your zakat

Zakat cannot be given to your parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren or spouse, because supporting them is already an obligation on you. It cannot be given to the wealthy, or to someone able to work and earning enough to meet their needs.

It also cannot be used to pay for something where no individual takes ownership. That excludes mosque construction, general building funds and most administrative costs in the majority view.

• Parents, grandparents and further ascendants
• Children, grandchildren and further descendants
• A husband or wife
• Anyone who already holds wealth above nisab
• Non-Muslims, who may receive Sadaqah instead

Relatives you can give to

Siblings, half siblings, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws are all eligible if they meet the criteria of poverty or need. Giving zakat to a relative in genuine need is encouraged and carries the double reward of charity and maintaining family ties.

The one condition is that you are not already legally responsible for their maintenance. If you are, supporting them is a duty rather than zakat.

Checking that a charity spends zakat correctly

Ask three questions. Does the charity keep zakat in a separate, restricted fund? Which interpretation of fi sabilillah does it apply? Who pays its administration costs?

A charity that can answer those clearly is one you can give to with confidence. UNH holds zakat in a restricted fund, applies a mainstream reading of the categories, and covers running costs from Sadaqah so your zakat is not diluted.

How need is verified in practice

Eligibility is a judgement made locally, not from a spreadsheet in another country. Field teams assess household income, dependents, health conditions, housing and whether anyone in the family is able to earn. Where a local committee or mosque knows the community well, their assessment usually carries most of the weight.

Verification protects both sides. It keeps zakat away from people who do not qualify, and it protects genuinely poor families from being overlooked because they are too proud to ask. The best programmes proactively identify households rather than waiting for applications.

It also has to be repeated. A family that qualified last year may have recovered, and a family that was coping may have lost its earner. Annual reassessment is normal practice, not a sign of distrust.

Giving zakat locally or overseas

There is no prohibition on sending zakat abroad, and the classical preference for distributing locally was rooted in the idea that your immediate neighbours have the first claim. Where local need is already met and overseas need is severe, sending it abroad is widely accepted.

The practical argument is reach. The same amount covers far more in a low income country, where a month of food for a family can cost less than a single weekly shop in the UK.

Many donors split the difference: a portion to a local hardship fund through their mosque, the remainder to overseas relief. Both are valid, and the intention of discharging the obligation is what matters.

Can I give zakat to my brother or sister?

Yes, if they are genuinely in need and you are not legally responsible for maintaining them. Giving to relatives in need carries additional reward.

Can zakat be given to a non-Muslim?

The majority position is no. Zakat is restricted to Muslim recipients within the eight categories, while Sadaqah can be given to anyone in need.

Can zakat build a mosque or a school?

Most scholars say no, because zakat must pass into the ownership of an eligible person. Fund buildings with Sadaqah instead.

Can zakat pay off someone's debt?

Yes. Those burdened by debt they cannot repay are one of the eight categories, provided the debt was not incurred through extravagance.

Can I give zakat to an orphan?

Yes, where the orphan's household is poor or needy. Orphanhood alone is not the qualifying factor, financial need is.

Do I need to tell the recipient it is zakat?

No. You need the intention that it is zakat, but you are not required to announce it, and many scholars prefer that you do not in order to protect the recipient's dignity.