Question Summary:

Question Detail:

Is it permissible to pay my zakat to cancer hospital which treats poor patients. Also, is it permissible to pay zakat to a school in a muslim country which gives free normal standard education to poor children. 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, it is necessary to give zakāh into the ownership of a valid recipient of Zakaat.  It is not allowed to merely spend Zakaat on valid recipients of Zakaat, nor spend it on their behalf.  The recipient must become the owner of the Zakat and have the option to spend the received money as he/she wishes.
 
Therefore, zakāh cannot be given directly to the hospital or to the school to spend on the poor and needy. However, if the poor patient or student appoints the manager for example, of the hospital or school to collect Zakaat on their behalf and pay for the fees, then the hospital or school will act as the representative of the person in collecting the Zakaat and pay the fees.
 
This procedure has to be done correctly in order to ensure that Zakaat is correctly discharged. It is therefore best to consult with a competent Mufti/Alim or Islamic Organization in deciding such matters.
 
 
( هي تمليك المال من فقير مسلم غيرها هاشمي ولا مولاه بشرط قطع المنفعة عن المملك كل وجه لله تعالى ) لقوله تعالى وآتوا الزكاة البقرة 43 والإيتاء هو التمليك ومراده تمليك جزء من ماله وهو ربع العشر أو ما يقوم مقامه
(البحر الرائق، كتاب الزكاة: 2/216؛ المعرفة)
 
فصل وأما ركن الزكاة  فركن الزكاة هو إخراج جزء من النصاب إلى الله تعالى وتسليم ذلك إليه يقطع المالك يده عنه بتمليكه من الفقير وتسليمه إليه أو إلى يد من هو نائب عنه وهو المصدق والملك للفقير يثبت من الله تعالى وصاحب المال نائب عن الله تعالى في التمليك والتسليم إلى الفقير
(بدائع الصنائع، كتاب الزكاة، فصل ركن الزكاة: 2/39؛ العربي)
 
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
 
Ismail Desai
Darul Iftaa
South Africa
 
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.