Question Summary:
We have some questions regarding zakat, Please help us in the light of sharia for the following questions….

Question Detail:

1) Can zakat be used for the purpose of secular studies. if the students or parents of the students r eligible for zakat?
2) Can we give zakat to an educational trust who help muslim childrens with their educational (secular education) needs?
3) Can we help needy muslims (eligible for zakat) to build their houses with the zakat money?
4) Can we give our zakat to the trust who help muslims (poor, needy) to build their houses?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
It is necessary to give zakāh into the ownership of the recipient.  It is not allowed to spend it on them, nor spend it on their behalf.  The recipient must be the owner of the wealth and have the option to spend it as he/she wishes.
Therefore, zakāh should be given to the needy or institutions/trusts that will hand it over the needy.  When the zakāh is received by the recipients, they may spend it as they wish, whether it be on secular studies or building houses.  However, it is not valid for you or the institution/trust to spend the zakāh on them, as this would be contradictory to making the recipients full owners of the zakāh money.
 
( 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 knows best
Wassalaamu `alaykum
Ml. Abrar Mirza,
Student Darul Iftaa
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah